Questis Geshtar
by Duran the Gladiator
Summary: *repost because of problems* This is a post-game story. Geshtar survives his battle with the Mana Heroes, but suffers from memory loss. Will he clear all the blanks? And... will he still be able to live on once he knows who he is?
1. The past's future 1

Questis Geshtar, part 1: The past's future  
by Kaeli  
He awoke in a soft bed, burning up because of the fever which haunted him. The first thing he felt was pain, nothing but pain that seemed to lurk everywhere in his body. Each of his limbs was numbed by dozens of wounds. Even remaining conscious was hard: he lacked the strength to keep himself from slipping away into his dreamless sleep. Deeper and deeper he fell, into the darkness that his mind had become. All sorts of questions came into his thoughts: "Who am I? Where am I? Do I belong here?" But he had no answers... yet...  
- "Oh, Seyma, he's waking up!"  
- "Good work, mother. Do you think he'll fully recover?"  
- "I hope so... That piece of scrap hit the soil real hard. Maybe he'll have amnesia."  
- "Oh, that wouldn't be good. Wait, he's trying to say something!!"  
His lips moved, forming three words. Every letter seemed to deliver him great anguish. And Seyma, the young woman whose mother had healed his wounds, heard them: "Cleanse... Geshtar's... soul..."  
Seyma felt a shiver running down her spine. Geshtar was a name well known in the world: he had committed hundreds of atrocities as a mercenary in service of Emperor Vandole. Also being a master mechanic, he had built great war machines for the Empire's conquests. But, luckily, his machines were obliterated by Lorima's missile attack, and Geshtar himself was smashed by the Mana Knight and his friends. "Maybe this man was Geshtar's last victim?", she thought. He WAS found in a pile of broken machinery... He HAD been seriously wounded... But why that sentence? Why did he need to cleanse Geshtar's soul?  
The wounded man slowly regained consciousness, thinking of only one thing: the phrase he had spoken. Geshtar had a familiar sound to it, but why? And why did he need to cleanse this man's soul? He needed to find out who he was, first. "Knowledge is power", a single thought came to him. Yes, he had to find out as much as he could about himself. Then he could go search for this Geshtar and help him.  
  
Seyma saw the man slowly making progress. He was already eating good, healthy food (if baked Rabite with Healing Herbs could be called healthy...) and he was able to speak again. one night, as she came to bring him his dinner, he grabbed hold of her arm.  
- "Tell me how you found me. It was you who found me, or wasn't it?"  
- "Yes, I did find you. One day, after the Mana Knight Hopper had defeated the Mana Beast and smashed the opposing Imperial forces, I..."  
- "Wait! Tell me about these Imperial forces!"  
- "I suppose you know of the Empire, a large country not so far from here. Well, the Emperor was called Vandole. He was very ambitious, but wouldn't have resorted to using the Mana Fortress as a means to obtain total dominion by himself... No, Vandole was a man who sought power, but rather by bribing and diplomacy than through violence. All of that changed when he hired his four bodyguards: Thanatos, Sheex, Fanha and Geshtar. Sheex was an Underworld Demon, his real name was Aegragropollion. His summoner and lover, Fanha, was an archmage that had gone bad. Her powers existed through her ability to metamorph her body. Then, there was Thanatos: a vile wizard that was black to the bone. He was a spirit of many millennia in age, surviving by obtaining host bodies. And the fourth one, Geshtar, was a very extraordinary one. He possessed a great aversion of magic, so is said. He was a master mechanic, and a mercenary of the worst kind. When the Mana Knight went to the Sunken Continent, he met them. First, he faced Sheex, who was defeated when in his true form: a demon, a huge mouth on two thin legs. Then, he found the Emperor Vandole, dead, on the stairs to the Mana Seed. Killed by Fanha. When the Continent was rising, he faced Fanha, who fought him in a highly annoying form. She fought as Hexas, a naga woman mage. Not that it helped her: she too was defeated. Then, Geshtar showed up, fighting the heroes as a giant mechanical knight: he too was smashed. But it wasn't until the very last moment that the Mana Knight faced Thanatos, who had been forced to turn into the ultimate manifestation of his dark power: the Dark Lich. The Mana Knight fought valliantly and defeated him. Thus the root of the evil was extinguished. And when the Mana Beast fell, so was the main consequence of that evil."  
- "Wow, I didn't know all this. I'm really learning. Now, you were saying how you found me?"  
- "Uhm, yes I was. So, one day after the defeat of the Mana Beast, I went to enjoy the snow. It has snowed for two weeks, you know... I went outside, since it was very pleasant in the desert. And near the Fire Palace, I found you. You were nearly buried alive under a big heap of snow, metal and sand! I quickly dug you out and dragged you here... You were so gravely injured, I really thought you'd never recover. But my mother has taken very good care of you. She healed you, fed you, washed you..." Seyma saw the man blush. "You don't need to be shy, my mother has four adult sons, you know. My father has taken your armor and weapons with him for repair. He's gone to Gaia's Navel, where the dwarves live. They're master blacksmiths."  
- "Thank you for all this care. Without you, I'd surely be dead."  
- "Hey, it's my pleasure. You looked so vulnerable, I couldn't let you die out there..."  
He started yawning, so she said good night and went to her mother. Two hours later, she went back to look. He was still awake, so she sat down next to him. He sought for her hand as he turned around to face her.  
- "Why are you still up? Are you thinking of your history?"  
- "I wish I could, I don't even remember my own name!"  
- "Hey, tomorrow my father will be back, and he'll know what you can do and where you can go. He's a wise man, my father, he's a caretaker for Salamando and the Mana Seed in the Fire Palace. Salamando has gifted him from birth on with a character of flame."  
- "You judge characters by Elemental? Tell me then, what kind of character would I have?"  
- "You... I know, either Water or Nature. I think you're more like a Water type than a Nature one, because you have soft, small hands and greenish hair. Maybe you come from a family of Water characters?"  
- "I wish I knew..." And after saying that, he softly fell asleep, still holding her hand.  
- "Goodnight...", she whispered. His hand hadn't loosened its grip on hers, so she was stuck sitting in that room. Her eyelids quickly became heavy... so heavy...  
  
He dreamt he was young, dressed as a water spirit but feeling more like a water demon. He cried, while in front of him stood a woman, well shocked. Next to her, a mermaid-shaped spirit. Undine, the Water Elemental. His eyes were filled with tears, and all he could do was look at his hands, which were encased in a thick layer of ice...  
Ice... Undine... Water... Pain! His hands were shaped like big claws, curled up in the layer of frost. He saw everything as if covered by a heavy fog. And, gathering all the air in his lungs, he screamed...  
  
- "NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"  
Seyma awoke from her deep, deep sleep by the man's cry. His face was pale, in his eyes stood terror... and pain.  
- "There, there, you must have had an awful dream... Screaming like that... Tell me, what was it that made you so scared?"  
- "I... dreamt of Undine, and a woman, who were looking at me. My hands were frozen, it hurted so much, so very much...", he gasped.  
- "Undine, hmmm... That woman might have been her caretaker, Luka. She has been a sage for over 200 years, born in the night after the first Mana Beast attacked. It was Luka who uncovered the "Veedios", and who sought out the Elemental of Water, Undine. She's a good woman and I'm sure she wanted to help you in your dream."  
- "I... I don't know anything anymore. Maybe she appeared in my dreams to clarify my mind. Hey, it might also be a memory of my youth! I seemed to be only fifteen or so..."  
- "You do seem about twenty-five, you know."  
- "Yes, I'm amazed of it too... I must be around that age, I guess..." He shivered, because his hands looked exactly like the claws underneath the ice from his dream: every muscle tensed, the utter energy pulsating through them, as though to cast...  
- "Brrrrrrrrrr... I HATE MAGIC!"  
- "Huh?" She looked into the stranger's eyes, who showed anger and a deep hate that made them glow like stars... "Stars in the darkness...", she whispered.  
- "Huh? What did you say?" He looked like he could fall asleep any minute.  
- "Oh, nothing. Go to sleep now, you need to rest."  
  
His sleep then remained dreamless, and he awoke the next morning with a deep calmth in his mind. Although he wasn't fully assured that the dream he had that night was a good thing, it didn't trouble him that much anymore. Seyma's mother came in to bring him breakfast: a good portion of Silktail milk, some toasts and a little egg on the side. It was the first breakfast he enjoyed eating in months, he realised. Sure, he could remember general things, like what day it was, the world and the Elemental powers, the many monsters,... But his personal history was blurred. His conversations with Seyma had taught him many things he couldn't remember, such as the atrocities committed by the Imperial forces. Especially the four bodyguards had done many of those acts of evil (he remembered Seyma saying : "Geshtar had assaulted a young girl in plain sight, I know because the Empire guards confessed that after the siege of the Fortress. Sheex had laughed when he tore away her clothes and... well, he didn't let her live to tell, anyway. Geshtar slid the throat of an innocent girl because he wanted to have fun, without Emperor Vandole or Thanatos knowing it." He still shivered, the Geshtar she talked about was a cruel, cold-blooded, black-hearted man. He was glad that that monster was smashed by the Mana Knight.) and the worst one of them appeared to be that man called Thanatos once: a lich with powers beyond darkness. And he had also learned the names of those Mana Heroes: the Mana Knight was called Hopper, his two allies were a girl named Nasha and a sprite called Stine.  
Suddenly, the conversation of the past night flashed up in his mind. He had exclaimed that he hated magic... It was a subtle but strong hint towards his personality and past. If he hated magic, surely he wouldn't have used or approved it in the past? Or did he?  
  
Seyma's father had returned in the meantime, and of course he visited the wounded man rescued by his daughter. Seyma accompanied him to the room where she had put him up. Her father's first reaction was fear, she could tell by his step back and the terror on his face. What was wrong? Her father, however, wanted to say nothing about it.  
- "Ah, you must be that young man my daughter has saved..."  
- "Yes, indeed I am, sir. If I remembered my name, I would tell it to you."  
- "Hmmmm... A temporary name would be handy, that's for sure..."  
- "Ah, yes, you do have a point there, kind sir. Call me Geshtar."  
Seyma saw her father flinch once more: then he shook his fear off.  
- "Are you sure you want to be named Geshtar? It isn't a name with much good attached to it... Surely Seyma has told you..."  
- "Yes, indeed. She has told me of the Imperial lieutenant named Geshtar. But I assure you, I will give that name honor again!"  
- "Ah, but are you sure that you can restore it to its former glory?"  
- "No... but I will give it all my effort."  
Seyma made her father come to the point. She wanted him to hurry his little meeting with Geshtar, so she could ask him why he had flinched twice in a row about him.  
- "Dad, you brought him his armor and weapons, remember?"  
- "Why, yes, I'd almost forget! Here, these are the armor and weaponry that we found along with you. They must have belonged to you, they do now anyway. Go ahead, try them on!"  
Geshtar took the armor and slid his torso in the breastplate: his arms and legs were quickly done after that. Last but not least, he putted on the heavy armor plates that protected his hips and other weak spots between loins and thighs. At least those spots still unprotected by his chain mail, which he already wore (the armor plates seemed there only to hide the small, but awfully hideous laces which held the leg armor in place). The sword and its sheath were beautifully crafted (he wondered where he had gotten those), and all of his stuff had the same blueish-green color, like waters from the sea. This confirmed his thoughts: he had been living in or near the Water Palace. Maybe he should go there: Luka might know an answer...  
- "Seyma, tomorrow I'll be leaving, I have got to go to the Water Palace."  
- "I already know you have to go. I knew from the moment you put on the armor. You're one of Luka's kind. Maybe a disciple or something... Who knows?"  
- "Maybe... Will you help me pack my stuff tomorrow morning? I'll leave real early, but not before dawn..."  
- "Why wouldn't I help you, Geshtar? See, you made me have good faith in that name already. Now the rest of the world!"  
He laughed about that, because she still seemed uneasy to hear the name. But it was kind of her anyway, to reassure him like that. She was a very nice girl, he had figured. But young... a little too young for him...  
That night, Seyma talked to her father outside, so Geshtar couldn't hear them. Her eyes gave away her concerns, and her father immediately realised she had seen him stepping back and flinching. His face was expressionless nonetheless.  
- "Father, why did you fear Geshtar? What's wrong with him?"  
- "Dear Seyma, you... I have seen this man before, more I cannot tell. Salamando knows of him, go seek him tomorrow and you will find out what's wrong with this Geshtar of yours."  
- "Father, I can see by the look on your face that it isn't a pleasant thing. Accompany me tomorrow, I will return by myself. Salamando's all-seeing eye is great, but the things he'll tell me are going to be a real burden, I can tell by your expression."  
- "Good, I will go with you. Now, go to sleep, Geshtar wanted you to pack his stuff."  
- "Fine, I want to leave tomorrow at noon."  
  
Geshtar awoke the morning after with a feeling of great relief he was going. He was finally setting out to find answers! Seyma came in with a big cup, filled with nice hot tea made of palm leaves and coconut milk. He looked around: all of his stuff was already packed! How long did he sleep?  
- "Hey, sleepy! I wanted to wake you up, but you just had that peaceful look on your face. It's been an hour since sunrise!"  
- "Oh, dear, I must hurry! Well, you did a great job: all is packed in one bag!"  
- "You didn't have that much with you: your armor, weapons and some personal stuff." She leaned over to him and whispered: "I've secretly put in some underwear. You, erm, hadn't got any on when I found you..." She blushed when she thought of her mother's remarks about... well, about that. He blushed too, ashamed of himself.  
- "Oh, dear... You haven't, errm, you know... seen... anything?"  
- "No, thank Heavens I didn't!" His face didn't change. She couldn't bear telling him that she once DID see. The mere thought made her shiver, more of fright for him being shy than him being angry. He was better off not knowing.  
- "Well, it seems allright then. Imagine that, a girl like you..."  
- "Hey, keep quiet, my parents are awake too, you know!"  
He grinned: "Oh, yeah, and the protective father isn't supposed to know that his daughter took in a guy that didn't even have underpants on..."  
- "Indeed, although he has probably heard all the details from my mother. Which makes me wonder if my mother really had no problems seeing you... You're not one of her sons, and not even acquainted to her until you awoke!"  
- "I felt uncomfortable when you told me she, well, saw me: but your mother is one tough chick!" He didn't bother to talk about it any more. The subject was not exactly suited for his savior and not even for him: he was ashamed of himself, covered with wounds as he was. He got up and dressed himself (Seyma turned around wisely, she had already seen enough...) so he could leave. After saying goodbye to Seyma's parents (he told them he'd send them a reward for their services, but they declined, saying it was merely their duty), he went outside. He had known he was in the desert town, Kakkara, but he didn't know it was that beautiful. The palm trees glistened in the light of the sun, that was already high in the sky. Dew covered their leaves. The sand was sparkling: it looked like a sea of jewels was put under his feet. Two little ponds lay calmly in the city, and their water was amazingly clear. He watched his reflection and noticed that Seyma had been right: he had a very calm, smooth face, with green hair like water from a high mountain spring. His hands seemed fragile. He wondered again if he REALLY hadn't used or approved magic. But the thoughts vanished as he heard Seyma's voice behind him.  
- "Hey, Geshtar, shouldn't you get moving? It's almost noon..."  
- "Yes, but I was just marveling the beauty, the infinite splendor of this desert city."  
- "Hey, the Water Palace is hundred times more amazing!"  
- "Why did you come? You saved me for a reason, I know: I can tell by the look in your eyes... And why was your father so shocked by me yesterday?"  
- "My father says that we both will find out our own way why he was shocked. And I came to see you off. And to tell you that you're always welcome in our house. Come to visit us once more when you've found the answers... And when you need help finding them, I'll be glad to be of any assistance."  
- "Seyma, you are a great girl. I'll return, but stay out of trouble in the meantime. I'll bring you a present..."  
- "Oh, you're trying to impress me? Don't need to do that, you know... We're friends already, I was your friend from the moment I saved you, you were mine from the moment you were so polite and suave."  
He smiled, he felt the great warmth of friendship spread through his soul: he knew he'd have a friend for life. And she felt the same way. As they said goodbye to each other, they embraced. Seyma felt, oh she felt... love? friendship? She didn't know... "Don't be ridiculous!", she said to herself as he flew off from the Travel Cannon, "He's way too classy for you, and you have no idea of his past!" She turned around, towards her waiting father, and headed for the Fire Palace.  
  
"....aaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAH... BAM!!!!!"  
Geshtar landed in front of a mansion, that was so familiar he started crying. Once this house had belonged to his parents. He even remembered their names: Gerbert and Malyssa. The memories flooded back into his head...  
- "Mommy, why do I have to go to the Water Palace?"  
He saw himself as a young boy, maybe aged eight, ten? His mother stood in front of him, her beautifully dark hair loose and flowing around her head like clouds around a mountain peak.  
- "Because you were born with green hair, and all green-haired are destined to serve Undine."  
- "I know, Luka has green hair too. I think it's beauiful!" He scratched through his hair, which was the same blueish green it still was. But at that time, it was short and curled slightly.  
- "Dad, do I have to? Really?"  
His father came in: a strong but vivid man, with very muscular limbs. Streaks of grey were hidden in his dark brown beard and hair. The look on his face was emotional.  
- "Yes, you have to. Although I'd rather not put you there..."  
He ran towards his parents, hugging them once more. "I'll miss you! Oh, I'll miss you so much!"  
He noticed he was crying, and he wiped away the tears. At least he had figured out who his parents had been, and that he was destined by green hair to serve Undine. So maybe Luka WOULD know the solution to his problem! He quickly found the Water Palace (hard to miss it, a big blueish-green palace in the middle of nowhere). But, by now, it was evening: the Cannon Travel had taken him long, thus he needed to rest. He went back to the old mansion, which had become an inn called "Neko's" and was aptly runned by a cat. He fell asleep immediately, dreaming of Seyma and her good cares...  
  
In the meantime, Seyma had travelled to the Fire Palace with her father. He was one of the only ones who knew the way through the palace. Travellers who sought to see Salamando were blindfolded and then transported there by her father. The same happened to her. Her father wrapped a black piece of cloth around her head, so she couldn't see where she was taken. And he did not remove it until they arrived at Salamando's room. Her father respectfully greeted the Fire Elemental, introduced her and explained why they had come.  
- "Salamando, I seek to find out the man I saved, who he really is."  
- "Very well, young Seyma, you shall see who he is. Do you know who are on this picture?"  
- "Yes, it's the Im... Oh, dear, no... That's him... No, it can't be! It CAN'T!!!!"  
  
Geshtar awoke early in the morning by a little bird that was chirping next to the window. It gave him a feeling of great relief. Seyma had often told him that the world was nearly destroyed. Afterwards, he had enjoyed waking up again...  
His thoughts quickly turned towards Luka and the Water Palace. He decided to wear his armor, so he'd look his best. He found a little note pasted on the back of his breastplate: it was from Seyma. He read it and soon his cheeks turned deep red.  
"Dear Geshtar, I think it's highly unfair that I didn't tell you. I did see you. And you don't need to be ashamed of yourself, your wounds don't lessen you. You're handsome, and you need to know that. I'm waiting for you to return. Yours truly, Seyma." She had...? She, so many years younger than him, thought him to be handsome?! He wasn't surprised, because he somehow seemed to be younger than he was, but she...? He felt his mind slipping to her image: a slender woman, about twenty years old, with the most beautiful sun-bleached brown hair. Her skin was also tanned: she had told him he'd get a tan too if he came back on a vacation (she really wanted him to return, and he wanted to see her again, too).  
His mind came back to dressing himself and going to the Water Palace. Within twenty minutes, he stood before the great gates to the mighty palace. They opened easily when he pushed them, and he entered a hall so great and amazing he nearly didn't dare to breathe. The water, running down from the walls, glittered in the light of the big bowls of holy fire placed on either side of the walkway. Every wave casted sparkling little lights throughout the hall, and his armor reflected some of them. He was like a spirit in a spirit world: he fitted in. He belonged in this palace. His armor shone brightly in the holy light: the gods seemed to welcome him again. Again, because he knew he had once lived and worked here, with Luka. The question was, what had happened between his time here and the present.  
He proceeded, and reached the Chamber of the Mana Seed: a huge room, filled with the sound of tingling water and rushing streams. A voice, soft but soothing, resounded.  
- "Proceed, Geshtar. I knew you were coming. Please, step forward. Surely you'll remember how you create the bridges..."  
And he did, the switches were well hidden but easily found. He came across a big pond, then he stepped onwards, over the second bridge. There she stood, in front of the Seed, her one hand clutching a spear. Luka, his mistress... once. He kneeled, his head downwards.  
- "Luka, I come here to seek my past. I have..."  
- "I know what has happened. I know your past, but am not allowed to tell you anything directly unless you ask me."  
- "Well, then at least grant me the honor of being taught by you again."  
- "Why, that would be MY honor! Come here and sit down, Geshtar. Let me tell you the legends of Mana again."  
Quietly, he sat down and listened, like he knew he had done before... Luka started to tell him of Mana:  
- "Once, when the gods were restless, they created this world out of the spirit essence called Mana. Beautiful trees came from the tree spirit, seas and flows from the water spirit, the moon from the lunar spirit, the stars from the light spirit, the night from the dark spirit, the sun from the fire spirit, the air from the air spirit, and the earth itself was made from the earth spirit. The spirits settled down on this world to ensure it never ceased to exist, and in order to ease things, they named themselves: Undine of Water, Gnome of Earth, Sylphid of Air, Salamando of Fire, Shade of Darkness, Lumina of Light, Luna of Moon, and Dryad of Nature. And indeed, for many millennia this world lived in ease. The spirits, then called Elementals, were honored by the humans and chose from amongst them servants. For example: we, Undine's servants, are chosen by natural hair color: this blueish green. But this world had its problems: humans became more and more self-centered, greedy of power and possessions. They wanted to defeat all above them: and, using the spirits' essence, Mana, they created their ultimate weapon in the battle against the gods: the Mana Fortress. Of course, the gods did not permit that: they sent their beasts to smash the threat. The most powerful and fearsome of the beasts, aptly called the Mana Beast, pushed the Fortress under the ocean, where it could be held. Then, afterwards, the Beast eradicated all humans except for those in the Elementals' grace, from which the new humanity was born. Among those was I, born in the night that the Beast had left. On the island now known as the Pure Land, he first planted a seed. It became the Mana Tree, controller of all good and evil. It produced three things: firstly, a set of eight Mana Seeds, in which all Mana Power could be locked away; secondly, a family of Mana Keepers, the men to become Mana Knights in times of trouble, the women to attend to the Tree; and last but not least, the Tree made from it's own powers the legendary blade forged and maintained by the spirit essence: the Mana Sword, only to be held by the Mana Knights. The world knew peace for more than hundred years. Humanity evolved in the same way again, this time only much more dangerous: the Empire tried to use the Mana Fortress to smash the kingdom of Lorima, but was stopped by Lorima's missiles destroying a great part of the lands and the destruction of Lorima, above which the Fortress already hovered. It was pushed back on the same place, but this time the Beast had pushed it less deep. Maybe he knew that the Fortress was soon to be resurrected again...  
Anyway, that last time, before the beast could destroy the entire world, the Mana Knight named Serin arose and took the blade in his hands. He slew the body of the dragon and thus gave humanity a chance to learn from its mistakes. He was still young then and hoped for the best. But nearly fifty years later, he was slain by the evil lich called Thanatos in the war between Tasnica and the Empire. Even then, he knew that his blood line wasn't extinct: his wife, main caretaker of the Mana Tree, had given birth to a young boy. The woman knew well that he couldn't grow up in the Pure Land, that he had to grow up near the Mana Sword, so she sent both the Sword and her son to a small village called Potos, near the Water Palace. Serin's spirit went there too, to make sure his son took the sword when the world was in need. And so, when Mana was fading away and the Empire was up to trouble again, he made the sword sparkle, so Hopper (his son) went there and took it. Hopper was cast out of Potos because his removal of the Sword made monsters live again. But he knew well enough, and I brought that knowledge into his conscious mind, that the monsters had awakened because of the fading Mana and the mischievous acts of the Empire. He proceeded, gained the support of each and every Elemental, sealed every Seed, found two allies on his path and defeated all the evil he encountered. But he knew he had to defeat the root of that evil before he could gain the power to defeat the Beast itself. The Imperial Forces... He easily found them and defeated them. Then, after having defeated the true evil one, Thanatos, he was able to face the Beast." She paused, and then looked into the water. "It is evening already. You can stay here, Neko's is a little expensive for a man with no income. Your former bed is still here, just as you left it." She turned around and left him there. Weary of having listened, motionless and nearly breathless, to Luka's legends, he went down, to where he knew Luka had his bed installed. She was right, it still stood there without his sheets and pillow. He remembered what had happened, although a little faint...  
- "No! I've had it here!! Undine has frozen my hands, Luka. They might never hold another sword again, do you realise that?! I'm of no further worth as a Palace guard!"  
- "Geshtar, I want you to stay..."  
A bright flash came then: Luka stared at him at first, but then lowered her head and started crying.  
- "F-fine, Geshtar... Go and return i-if it pleases you... Ne-never forget m-m-me... promise me that!!"  
- "Luka, I'm sorry if I hurt you by doing this, but I feel like it's destined that I leave this Palace."  
- "Geshtar... i-it is... Go now and search your fate..."  
He took the sheets and pillow with him, looking back only to see Luka once more. He saw her crying, he cried too...  
  
Luka came into Geshtar's room very late, and was surprised to hear him crying his eyes out. She silently walked over to him and whispered:  
- "It's allright, you're safe here..."  
- "Luka, what happened when Undine froze my hands?"  
She bowed her head, he saw tears glitter in her eyes. "You had gone out and returned early in the morning, drunk. I was with Undine at that moment, so when you didn't find me in the Palace, you came to the cave where Undine resides. When you reached Undine's room, she was a little upset: she didn't know what had happened to you. She had no idea what drinking did to your body, and felt a little offended. Suddenly, you tripped and touched Undine's shoulder when she didn't expect it. The moment you touched her, she froze your hands out of fear. You were immediately sober, and all you could do was look at your hands and cry. I took you into the Palace, called upon the warmest of all streams and waterholes to warm your hands: the desert ponds in Kakkara. When they touched the ice, it melted... but the water became steam and thus couldn't return to the desert. That's why the two ponds were empty for a long time. Luckily, Hopper saved them: he found a Sea Hare's tail and brought back cool water to the desert." She stopped to wipe away the tears from her cheeks. "You were so upset because of it, you left. When I wanted to stop you, Undine's image came before me, telling me not to stop you from leaving. She said you would return after you did your other tasks in the world. And you did." She raised her head again, her light blue eyes peering directly into his deep green ones. "Go to sleep now, tomorrow we'll continue our lessons."  
  
And they did so: the next morning, Luka spoke of the services of the Elementals and the rituals in summoning one. Geshtar listened and learned a great deal. Then, after they had had lunch, she took him to a mirror behind the Water Seed's pedestal.  
- "This is the mirror I use to communicate with Undine. I'll show you how to use it. You hold the mirror and say her name in a clear and loud voice. Like this: Undine!"  
The mirror's surface flickered, then showed a beautiful mermaid, holding a trident and floating in mid-air.  
- "Hello, Luka, my friend, what brings you to speak to me like this? Usually you just visit me..."  
- "Not today. I was explaining the use of the Mirror to my disciple."  
Luka stepped back to reveal Geshtar, who bowed and said: "Greetings, Undine."  
- "Geshtar?! He did return after all...", she said to Luka, and then she turned to Geshtar: "You once were Luka's disciple, but you left because..."  
- "I already know, Undine, and you don't need to be ashamed of it. I know that you did it because you were afraid of me then. But now I have a question to ask of you." 


	2. The past's future 2

- "Yes, but remember that I cannot tell you anything unless you have remembered yet another part of your history."  
- "No, this is about a flashback. When I came in that morning, long ago, drunk, how did you feel?"  
- "Well, I felt afraid. I didn't know what had happened to you: you walked as if you were dizzy, you spoke very loud, and your breath smelled awful! I thought someone had put a spell on you or something... Then you grabbed hold of me, and I thought you were going to attack me. Instinctively, I used my magic to freeze your hands. But I felt sorry for it immediately. And when Luka told me, explained what had happened to you, I felt really ashamed. You had left already and didn't even say goodbye to me..." She bowed her head. Geshtar wished he could pat her shoulder through the mirror.  
- "I don't know either why I did that... not saying goodbye... I feel terrible about that too, you know. But now I'm back, and I have no intention of remaining mad at you forever."  
- "Thanks, Geshtar. I feel a lot better now that I know you've forgiven me. Well, I hope I was of assistance, Luka. Teach your disciple good, and next week he may come to visit me. Goodbye for now!"  
- "Goodbye, Undine", Geshtar and Luka said at the same time, each of them chuckling for their odd synchronity. The mirror was put back where it belonged and Geshtar continued listening to the Mana Rituals.  
  
The week between that day and his visit to Undine's cave went real fast. Geshtar learned all the things he had known before, which was very frustrating in fact. The only thing he enjoyed doing was the sword fighting lessons he got. He didn't learn a single thing from Luka there, HE learned HER new tricks. He had gotten some minor memories about fights, but they were always very vague and never of any help in uncovering his real identity. Often had he tried to get some information from Luka, but to no avail: she kept on saying him he had to uncover it himself. She always comforted him, though, telling him he'd find out real soon. He also cried: because he felt powerless in his own life, because he feared he'd never find the solution himself, because...  
Because of something he didn't even remember...  
And that kept him awake at night, it haunted him, crept into his mind while he slept. But never could he remember it when he awakened, never was he more sad than after such a dream. He longed to know what it was that made him sweat so much that his sheets were nearly soaking... He wondered why Luka and Seyma's father had been so shocked to see him... What was it about him that struck fear into other people's hearts?  
  
- "Hey, Luka, there's a party in the city of Pandora. Care to join me?"  
Geshtar had gathered all of his nerve to ask Luka to come with him. He didn't look at her as a teacher: no, she was more of a friend to him. She smiled when she said yes, her face was enlightened. He then gave her the present he'd saved for (he had done some chores at Neko's in the evenings, because then was his only time off from lessons. Neko paid him very good for doing such hard work: moving heavy crates from the wagons to the storage rooms): the classy soiree dress.  
- "Oh, Geshtar, you shouldn't have..."  
- "No, no, don't say it! It was such a pleasure thinking of how you'd be amazed of the dress when you'd get it... And besides, I want my friend to look her very best when going out with ME!" He showed her the outfit he had bought for himself (he needed special clothes to go to that party: his armor was out of the question), and after having finished their lessons for that day, both went to their rooms (in fact, it was one room, separated by a curtain) to dress and get ready for the event.  
Geshtar thought of his new achievements. He had started off from scratch, saved from certain death by a girl who didn't even know him; then, she gave him clothes, food, comforted him, became his friend; she directed him towards Luka, who had now become a very close friend of him too... What was next? He had no idea of what he was going to do when he'd found out who he was: but he didn't know what to do when he wouldn't find out, either. Maybe he'd... No, he knew what he would do. He'd stay there, in the Water Palace, and serve Undine together with Luka! He knew he was destined to serve the Water Elemental, and he also was sure of his friendship with Luka, Undine's main caretaker and closest friend. That seemed to be enough... Or was it?  
He immediately put those thoughts aside when Luka entered. The dress looked more than beautiful on her: it made her look radiant, extraordinaire, superbe, outstanding, supernatural! Her eyes sparkled more, her hair was adorned with glistening green stones, the same stones as she wore as earrings, and as a necklace. He was baffled: he couldn't say a thing for a while. Then, carefully approaching her, cautious not to break that frail beauty, he took her small, pale hand and kissed it.  
- "Oh, you seem to be a goddess descended from the heavens. Will you escort me to the party tonight, my goddess?"  
Luka laughed, for the first time since he had come and taken back his place: it sounded like the soft tinkling of a mountain stream. "Why, you look stunning yourself, as if you have been gifted by the gods. I will escort you, my handsome Geshtar. It would be an honor."  
They went outside, where Luka closed the Palace with a spell. He took her hand and the went onward, to the city. On the way, they talked about themselves, about general things mostly. They laughed. Luka loved to hear his deep, warm voice and to feel the warmth of his hand on hers. She shook off those thoughts immediately. What WAS she thinking?! Her heart was beating like crazy when he looked at her... "Love? Not a chance!", she said to herself. But one look at him, at his soft eyes, his hands... told her she was hopelessly lost.  
Finally, they arrived at the hall where the party was being held. Geshtar gallantly opened the door for Luka, allowing her to step in and check the situation. She had feared the presence of the Mana Heroes, Hopper and Nasha, but none of them were there. She and Geshtar had great fun: they danced all the time, and he had bought her very tasty drinks... She felt very light-headed when the party was over and they returned to the Water Palace. Twice had she fumbled the words for the spell over the Water Palace, before Geshtar helped her. Inside, her legs seemed to have lost their strength and she fell to the floor. He picked her up and carried her all the way to her room. She had rested her head against his chest and had fallen asleep after muttering "Geshtar, you know I can't stand those drinks...". Very careful not to wake her up, he put her to bed, after removing the stones. He then staggered to his own bed, where he fell asleep immediately...  
  
- "Geshtar, Geshtar, wake up!"  
He slowly opened his eyes and was struck by the headache. It was his own fault, he shouldn't have drunk that much. Luka was standing beside him, her hair a mess, hastily dressed and barely awake.  
- "What's the matter, Luka?"  
- "We were supposed to visit Undine today, remember? C'mon, she hates lazyness!"  
He dressed himself in a hurry, combed his hair and told Luka to do the same. Looking into her mirror, she blushed and took the comb. After another five minutes, they were outside the Palace, going towards the cave where Undine lived. Luka had warned him to carefully put his feet down, for every little stone was slippery. He slowly stepped forwards, avoiding the shiny stones: those were the most slippery. Nevertheless, he slipped slightly, but was able to hold on to a stone in time. He took his hand away and saw it was covered by a sticky green plant with all colors of flowers on them. It made him remember... long ago...  
  
- "You're doubting too, aren't you, Geshtar?"  
A beautiful red-haired woman, wearing a red dress and mantle. Her hands were frail, her fingers slender: it gave away her profession... magic-user. Her face showed concern, pain and fear. She looked like a spirit in the cold, nightly darkness.  
- "Of course I do. Thanatos showed us yesterday that we're mere puppets to his cause. Poor Sheex, despite the fact that he was a demon..." He bowed his head. "He was a great man, although he was only human pro forma. His heart was filled with the wrong thoughts, put there by Thanatos I presume..."  
- "Geshtar, I was just thinking... How did Thanatos convince you?"  
- "He promised me just the right thing: pleasure. Drinking, gambling, danger, women. Of course, after I had signed my contract, he didn't allow me to have all that. I'm still ashamed of myself for... doing that... t-that innocent y-young woman..." He started crying, and his female companion comforted him. She now stood next to him, her arm put around his shoulder, the warmth of her skin radiating through the armor he wore.  
- "For me, he told me he'd kill me. I have the potential to far more power than he'll ever have and I posed a threat. My father, the Archmage of Tasnica, was already killed by him in that foolish war fifteen years ago. And when I had Sheex, he used me to keep Sheex loyal and vice versa." She also cried, and this time, Geshtar comforted her, putting his hand on hers, feeling her silky skin. She shouted into the night air that surrounded them: "Damn you, Thanatos! I'll foil your plan, even if it means my death! You won't destroy this world! For all of us: for me, for Geshtar... and for Sheex..."  
- "Well, Sheex would surely appreciate your sacrifice for good. He was, naturally, a demon, but he had his creator's advantages. One of which was his will to do good. He'll wait for you wherever he has gone to..." Geshtar said it as friendly as he could, but he felt jealousy of the love his friend felt for that Sheex.  
- "Oh, Geshtar, you're such a great friend. Tell me you'll stay by my side until the last minute."  
Geshtar had turned toward the young woman, taking her hands, which were covered with a green, sticky plant. Their hands were pasted together, and she asked him: "Will we always stick together, Geshtar?"  
- "Yes, we'll always stick together, just like our hands do now, my dear Fanha!!"  
  
Geshtar must have passed out, for he awakened in Undine's cave, watched by a concerned Undine and a very pale Luka. Still shocked because of the flashback, he looked at them with such an expression of fear that even Undine stepped back.  
- "Luka," Geshtar said, calming down, "you once promised me to answer my question only when I had remembered my true name. It is Geshtar. I have seen who I was, and I ask you again: what do you know of the person I once was?" He emphasized the "was". Undine nodded silently at Luka, who sighed and walked towards him.  
- "You was a man of great atrocity, although you were forced to commit those crimes by Thanatos. He had bound you to him in blood, you had no choice but to listen. You had turned away from magic because of that accident with Undine. When you had left, you became a mercenary. You hired your swordsmanship and, when at it, learnt the ancient mechanics. Thanatos had taken advantage of your weakened spirit and your knowledge of Mana and its rituals... I wanted so badly for you to return to the path of Light again. But... Underneath all the evil you did, you must have been the same man you are now... I can tell you no more than this, it is all I know."  
Geshtar shivered as he saw his reflection in the puddles of water in the cave. He then realised what he had to do. "Luka, Undine, I want to ask your permission to travel around the world. I will disguise myself and find out more about what has happened. I will examine myself and the other Imperial bodyguards: both character and deeds, reasons and skills will I find out. But I will need your help in disguising myself. And if you can help me find a way to travel..."  
- "Why, Geshtar, I have the perfect way for you to travel! Undine, I will come again tomorrow for his disguise. Till then, goodbye!" With a smile on her face, Luka dragged Geshtar to the Water Palace. Instead of heading inside, she took him to the left side of the Palace, where she took a little toy from underneath her robes.  
- "What's..."  
- "Just wait and see...", she told him, as she used the hand drum. Faster than even the wind could blow or the lightning could strike, a white dragon neared them, landing in front of Luka.  
- "Rrrrrrrraaii... Hello, Luuka, what can I do todaay?" Then, the dragon noticed Geshtar. "Graaaaaaaaa!! This is Gesshtar!! He's eevil!" She raised her front right paw, with its enormous claws, to tear him apart.  
- "Wait, Flammie! You're a Mana Dragon, then use your Dragon Vision to look into his heart!! Dragons can see the real inner feelings, remember?", Luka screamed. Flammie nodded and looked at Geshtar with her melancholic purple eyes. Their depths seemed to pull him down into himself... He fell into his own mind, seeing things he never expected to see: cruel facts, dark spells and strong feelings lurked in his past. Yet, no trace of malevolence ever crossed his mind... It occurred to him that he must have been spellbound, like Luka had thought... Flammie smiled, she turned away and faced Luka.  
- "Rrrrrraaaaaaii... You werrre rrrrrright, Luka. He is a man of gooood heart. I will take him with meee..."  
- "Oh, my! May I say something?", stammered Geshtar, who had heard the name Flammie and recognised the dragon in front of him.  
- "Why, sure, talk to meeee!" Flammie turned towards him again, her glazy purple eyes peering straight into his clear green ones.  
- "Well, since you're Hopper, Nasha and Stine's dragon, you must know them..."  
- "Rrrrrrrraaaaaaaii... Yeees, I know them. Hopper is a grrrrreat kid, he has become sixteen just a few weeks ago. Nasha and Hopper arrrrrrre still good friendsss. They visssit each other once orrrrrrrrr twice a week."  
- "And Stine?"  
- "Iiiieee... Stine became a ssspirit... He had used up all his Maaaaana essence to defeat the Dark Lich..."  
- "THANATOS! That demon!" Geshtar's face turned red, his voice filled with a hatred so harsh, so deep and meaningful, that both Luka and Flammie were shocked.  
- "Geshtaaar, you shouldn't speak that way! Poooor Luka, she's shocked... Why do you now hate Thaaanatooos?"  
- "When I remembered my true name, Flammie, I remembered something else. Both me and Fanha were tricked into Thanatos' service. I was fooled with false promises: drinking had made me weak. Thanatos promised me pleasure, and I was too dumb to see the trap... Fanha, on the other hand, was threatened with death if she didn't join. He made her summon a demon, that would be always truthful to his owner: that demon was Sheex. She fell in love with him and thus, Thanatos didn't threat her anymore about her life... he said he'd take Sheex' life."  
- "You werrrre tricked into this? Well, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself..."  
- "Huh?" This time, Geshtar was baffled. Flammie had seen it? "How?"  
- "I was taaaking my flying lessons (from a good imp, mind you...) when I flew over the Imperial Castle... I saw Thanatos, the eeevil lich, talking to yooou... You were angryyy, and then he told you thiss: "Go down to Northtown and have some fun, then." I saw him moving hisss hands in an evil spellll... Then, afterwardss, I heard the story of that young girl toooo..."  
- "Woow! You knew it?!"  
- "Yes, I did... but never did I guess yoooou weren't evil nevertheless. Had I known Thanatos forced you and your friiiiends..." She bowed her head, gently letting her wings slither over each other. "Forrrrgive me my prejudice, Geshtarrr..."  
- "You haven't done anything wrong, my dear Flammie!", he said determined. His hands patted the soft feathers in her neck, when he caught Luka's eyes.  
She hadn't said anything anymore since Geshtar started talking to Flammie. Until he had arrived, she had lived a peaceful life. Her heart was broken when he had come to the Water Palace, a year or so ago, with evil words and soldiers of the Empire... and a twin-headed hydra he called Jabberwocky. She saw blood pouring out of Hopper's wounds, while the Mana Heroes fought to protect her. She had cried, then, for Geshtar's betrayal was bitter. But what was to say when he had been under an evil spell? What would he himself have thought that day? She had burst into tears when the story about the murdered girl had reached Undine's ears... and hers. But then, after she had thought him dead and her hate for him neverending... He stood before her, like he once was, had been. She loved him, she forgave him immediately. Would her heart be spared this time? What were the chances of him returning a good and honest man? And what would he find on his road? Her tears flowed gently over her pale cheeks. She ran inside, but couldn't help noticing Geshtar looking at her. Averting her eyes, she ran, and ran, until she sank to her knees in front of the Mana Seed, screaming in blind sorrow...  
-"Why?! WHY?!!! He's just come back to me, and he's leaving already!! Why in Mana's might does it have to go like this?!"  
  
Geshtar had seen Luka run away, crying. He quickly explained his problem to Flammie, who told him she'd be glad to assist him in his quest to himself. And she added a quick remark before flying off: "Go to Luuuka now, she needs yooour presence and your comforting." He didn't hesitate a moment, rushed into the Palace and heard her scream to the Seed, her words filled with a gloom even beyond his own. He rushed towards her, his face pale, his eyes glittering: he knew why she cried. He knew all too well. But when he was nearly beside her, a blinding flash lighted the Seed's pedestal. A fully winged angel appeared.  
- "Fear not for your heart, Luka, for he has been touched by the great warmth of Mana. The Mana Tree is not the only one watching over this world: we aid her, giving people the appropriate destiny. Geshtar is destined to serve Undine, and he will do so until he dies. You Elemental Servants are gifted with eternal life: that is why he survived the crash of his armored machine." The angel waited for Geshtar to come near. "You two are bound to each other in more than one way. Your service of Undine is one, but more are yet to come... Well, remember my words of wisdom, and do remember my name, for it will appear again... I am Solar, a revoked ninth Element, now being the Elemental of the Gods..." She vanished, her light slowly fading into the Seed. Luka turned around, her eyes turned red by crying... and to her surprise, Geshtar's eyes were red, too...  
- "Geshtar... You're going away... Just when I-I..." She hid her face in her hands, but he took them away.  
- "Luka, don't cry over me. I will return, and when I do, I will never, EVER leave again! You heard Solar, didn't you? Well, we ARE bound together! Not only by our service towards Undine, not only by our kindred spirits, not only by our devotion towards Good, but by love!" He blushed, he had said it even before he realised what he had said. Luka looked at him, her eyes containing all the love she had... all for him... He didn't say a single word no more; neither did she. They kissed each other, forgetting the departure of Geshtar towards himself, forgetting Luka's sorrow, forgetting hate and Mana and the rest of the world... the overwhelming feelings they had for each other carrying them away to their own, private heaven...  
  
- "Hello, wake up, sleepy... You have an appointment with Undine..."  
Geshtar's hair was wiped out of his face by Luka's soft hand. He didn't resist her touch, and neither did she when he touched her cheek.  
- "I know, I'm awake already... Had a good night's sleep?"  
- "Yes, if any. And my dreams were delightful, that's for sure! You make miracles happen: I had never thought you'd return... and suddenly, there you was. When I didn't expect your love, you gave it to me. You are mine now..."  
- "... and you are mine. Luka, you loved me before, like you did last night, didn't you?"  
- "Well..." She didn't actually show it to him, but somehow he had figured it out. "Yes, I did. You were growing up into the handsome, strong man you are now. I saw it happen, slowly but wondrous it was to see, and... I loved the man I saw before me when you listened to me, followed my hands when practicing the rituals and gestures for summoning Elementals..."  
- "I have seen you as a teacher when I came here: severe, strong and cold. Then, I started seeing you as a sister: I noticed after a while you did care for me and my problems. You did your best to comfort me here. But after a long while, I started growing up. All my feelings, all my thoughts... were mixed and changed, twisted and turned in my soul. My vision of you changed. The sister was gone: before me stood a beautiful, attractive woman, her heart within my reach... I always had hoped we could become closer..." He looked out the window to see a splendid morning: the reflection of the golden clouds made him smile.  
- "We should get dressed, Geshtar... Undine doesn't like to wait." She had already put her clothes and shoes on. His armor and clothes were softly handed to him, and five minutes later, she took him to the cave.  
- "I'll be back when I'm finished. I have some things to take care of..." After kissing him on the cheek, she went back.  
  
He opened his eyes, the tingling feeling flowing away, slowly, from his limbs.  
- "There!", Undine said, "No one would still recognise you!!" She admired her work: his skin was tanned, his armor replaced by flowing apprentice robes, his sword turned into a wooden staff. His hair and eye color had become darker too, looking very much like Luka's. Where was Luka, anyway, she wondered... "Now, if you say "Drop!", the disguise will drop and you will look like yourself again..." She saw Luka enter her cave. Something about the way she looked at Geshtar was strange... She didn't greet her, not until she had seen Geshtar's new looks completey. Hastily, Undine continued: "... and when you say "Glance!", the disguise will re-appear. Hello Luka!"  
- "Hello Undine, I have seen the results of your wonder works already. My, my, you make miracles happen!" Half an hour ago, I said the same thing to Geshtar, she realised.  
- "Well, I know... What time will he leave?"  
- "Flammie said she'd be here around noon... Oh dear, she's probably waiting already!!! Come, Geshtar!"  
Undine watched as Geshtar took Luka's hand and led her out of the cave. It suddenly hit her what was going on... She was very much upset, for she had never noticed it happening. How could Luka throw away her sense of decensy like that? How could Geshtar care so little for her to drag her with him in his downfall? How could it not be prevented? Did they know the punishments for a relationship between Elemental Servants? All of a sudden, a bright ray of light, coming through the ceiling of the cave, drove away her thoughts. Before her stood an angel which was only supposed to guide the Elementals from Heaven. It was...  
- "Solar, most gracious Ninth Elemental!! What brings your presence in my cave?"  
The beautiful angel looked down onto her. "Your prejudice brings me here. You think that relations between Elemental Servants are punished. In fact, they are even encouraged to grow! Your misjudgement of Geshtar makes you blind for their happiness! See things that are bound to happen!" She raised her hands and Undine collapsed.  
Undine wasn't unconscious, she just saw things. Geshtar and Undine in front of the altar in the church of Pandora; Geshtar holding a baby in his hands, looking very proud; Luka brushing her daughter's hair... She saw herself, surrounded by children, playing with them... She saw happiness... When she awakened, Solar held her.  
- "Solar... I-I..."  
- "Say nothing, I feel you are relieved of your prejudices. Remember this: the gods have approved of their being together. More still... the gods gave me the right to come here to watch over their love. Don't resist it, Undine: for Destiny is at work here." She departed, her light going back out through the ceiling of the cave, leaving Undine alone in what seemed to her a tremendous darkness.  
  
Geshtar and Luka went to the spot where Flammie had landed the day before. There she stood, her light pink wings brushing against each other as she saw her friend and Geshtar nearing.  
- "Hellooooooooo, Luka. God morning, Gesssshtar. Are you ready to leave?"  
Geshtar looked at Luka. She had guessed what he would need, and had packed several stuff in one of her own leather item bags.  
- "Here, Geshtar. This contains soap, some towels, and other useful stuff. Should come in handy..."  
- "Sure, it will come in handy. Thanks." He took the bag, touching her frail hand gently.  
- "Shall weeeee leave then?", Flammie asked, "Say goodbye to Luuuka first. She'll missss you, and your love is still sssso young..." Her gleaming purple eyes gave away that she knew what had happened the day before. Geshtar nodded and turned to Luka. They didn't speak: just a warm embrace and a gentle, loving kiss. Flammie cried, her Dragon Eyes weren't necessary to see the great love, the tight bond between these two souls. As Luka and Geshtar let go, she lowered her immense body so that Geshtar could get onto her back.  
- "Geshtar... be careful. I want you to return!", Luka whispered as Flammie took off, her majestic wings heaving her heavy torso into the clouds. Tears ran down her cheeks, her heart was beating in a rhythm she knew. It was Geshtar's pulse in her soul, it was Geshtar's warmth in her heart. And as she returned into the Water Palace, Undine was standing in front of the Water Seed's pedestal, her tail touching the first step, whispering: "Mighty gods, protect Geshtar from all harm. And protect Luka from Love's agony. Their future is so bright, don't let them fall into dark times now..." 


	3. Upstream 1

Questis Geshtar, Part 2: Upstream  
Geshtar had been airsick the first fifteen minutes. He felt very lucky Luka packed his stuff: she had included a few Healing Herbs. And Flammie had given him a hard time. Finally, he arrived at his first stop: Pandora, where the Royal Archives were located. The Archives had information on all those born after the Night of Mana, the 1st January of the year 1. So his parents had to be included too, and he. He might even find info on where his parents came from, what they did, when they died... and whether or not he had any reason to get involved with the Empire. As Flammie landed, she asked him an intelligent question.  
- "Gesssshtar, have you thought aaaabout a naaaame? You can't jusssst say your naaame is Geshtarrrr..."  
- "Why, Flammie, you awesome girl, you're right! Haven't thought of it... What about Flamin? It's an ancient word for "amnesia"..."  
- "Suits you perrrrrfectly! Well, Ffffflamin, I'll be off to Gaiaaaa's Navel then, to wasssssh myself. And, errr, sssssorry for those loooooopings in the airrrr..." He patted the soft downy feathers in her neck, and she flew away, knowing he didn't mind. The brushing sound of her magnificent wings worked soothing, it actually helped him accept the long way he had to go. Something about her character really touched him... but what? There was so much to like about her! She was not only the most beautiful dragon he had ever seen, but one of the most wise ones, and with a warm heart, too.  
Geshtar's thoughts were interrupted when he heard a wagon nearing. It was loaded with packages carrying the royal seal, probably...  
- "Hey, you, get aside! This is a delivery to the King!"  
He hastily jumped aside, looking to the one who had shouted. It was a man in his mid-forties, slightly tanned but still looking vivid. He raised his staff, showing Undine's symbol on it.  
- "Sir, would it be possible to show respect to a humble servant of Undine? Or is that too much for even a merchant like yourself?"  
The man was quite shocked to see Undine's symbol, he raised his hands slighly and stumbled:  
- "F-forgive me... It's sometimes such harsh work that one would forget the proper rules. To make up for my bad manners, I want to invite you to dinner." While they were talking, they had walked into Pandora, and soon they stood in front of the merchant's house.  
- "Thank you, sir. Your gesture is very kind, and I would be honored to dine with you. May Mana bless you!"  
- "Where can I find you, err...?" The man bowed his head, a little ashamed because he hadn't asked for the stranger's name earlier. Geshtar saw that, and he anticipated it immediately.  
- "Sorry, kind sir, I should have told you my name. I am Flamin, disciple of Luka, servant of Undine, Elemental of Water. But," he added with a smile, "you may call me Flamin. And I was hoping I could go to the Archives. Luka sent me out to find information about the Imperial Forces..."  
- "Very well," the man interrupted him as soon as he had heard "Imperial Forces", "I will visit you there. The Archives are located in the castle. Good luck!" He went inside his house. Geshtar understood the hate for the Empire... but he never would have guessed it went that deep. He knew for sure then: he HAD to find out why people thought that way about the Imperial Forces! He owed that to himself... and to Fanha.  
The castle was huge, and a feeling of safety hit him when he entered the hall: soldiers were everywhere. The Archives were on the first floor: a huge room filled with big racks, on which numerous papers laid, according to family names. He remembered his mother's last name was Aldin, but he had no clue to his own last name. He knew he had no other solution than search for his mother's chart, so he could find his own... Luckily, he found it immediately, and learned that his last name was Tirsh. He took his chart, together with those of his parents, to a little table, and started reading:  
"Geshtar Tirsh, born on the 5th of January in the year 84 as child of Malyssa Aldin (herbs expert) and Gerbert Tirsh (merchant), in the city of Lorima. Moved to Pandora in the year 146; was summoned to serve Undine, Elemental of Water, in 160. Followed the dark road of the Empire from 200 to 214. Died on the 4th of June in the year 214 by the hand of Sir Hopper, the Legendary Mana Knight." So that was my life, he thought, in four phrases... He took a quick peek at his parents' charts... and found a reason to have come in contact with the Empire: his grandparents were all living in the Empire in Southtown and on the Gold Isle. After writing down everything what could possibly be useful (Luka had given him a notebook and some pencils), he was about to put the charts back in place when he tripped over a box of charts, which all fell out. He put them back in the box until, suddenly, he found an interesting chart... While looking on, he found another chart: but this one was very old... He took both of them to his table to read them. The first one was very surpising - Fanha's chart:  
"Fanha Caina, born on the 21st of December in the year 189 as child of Elinee (herbs expert) and Cain, archmage of Tasnica, in the city of Pandora. Learned the art of magic use by her parents, expert in the use of herbs. Followed the dark road of the Empire from 201 to 214. Died on the 4th of June in the year 214 by the hand of Sir Hopper, the Legendary Mana Knight." After noting all that down, he took the second chart... Thanatos' chart:  
"Evan Thanatos, born on 24 May 1998 as child of Fredrick Thanatos, architect, and Malisse Sullivan, doctor. Became engineer at age 24, worked at the Mana Fortress. Author of the books "Elemental Powers" (2018) and "The night of the changes" (the year 1 after the Fortress). Died on the 30th of April in the year 5, possessed by a dark spirit." That too he wrote down. His hand felt real painful, and his eyes weren't used to the many reading.  
A tap on his shoulders relieved him from his worries: behind him stood the merchant whom he had met earlier that day.  
- "Hello Flamin, how has the search been?"  
- "Very rewarding, sir." He said it with a smile on his face. "I have already acquired a great deal of information. But I won't talk about that now: the subject seems to be rather... hated."  
The merchant ignored the insinuation: "Come, we'll eat. You must be hungry after all that research!"  
- "Well..." He heard the growling sound in his stomach, and he grinned. "I could use some good food now!"  
  
The merchant had put Geshtar opposite to an empty chair. He looked troubled.  
- "Where could she be?", he muttered.  
- "I beg your pardon?" Geshtar was caught off-guard. "Are you waiting for someone, sir?"  
- "Yes, my daughter is supposed to eat with us. And please, call me Henry."  
Suddenly, he rose from his chair to go to the door. That must be his daughter, Geshtar guessed. And indeed, he heard the soft footsteps of a woman.  
- "Father, do we have a guest tonight?" Amazement resounded in the words she spoke. Henry guided her towards Geshtar.  
- "This is Flamin, a honorable disciple of Luka. Flamin, this is my daughter... Nasha."  
Geshtar flinched, he slowly turned around to look at her. She was just like he remembered her, only she was wearing grey clothes. He was afraid to look at her directly, but she wasn't, apparently she hadn't recognised him.  
- "Well, Miss Nasha, wearing grey? Are you mourning then?"  
- "Yes... My beloved one, Dyluck, died... An evil spirit had possessed his body. I-I had no choice..." She cried, and Geshtar realised what had happened. This Dyluck of hers must have been the general Thanatos had used to prolong his life again!!  
- "I'm sure your beloved Dyluck has found his place in the eternal flow of Mana in the after-life..." He took his staff, raised it and touched her head. "Your burden is too heavy for a girl your age... Err, how old are you, miss Nasha?"  
- "I'm twenty-one." She frowned. "You seem... familiar, sir Flamin..."  
He was suddenly struck with fear: what if she recognised him? How would he be saved then? She would have no mercy for him, oh no she wouldn't...  
- "You might have seen me at the Water Palace. But I'm sure it isn't possible, miss. I have travelled around the..."  
- "I have too! Maybe we've met somewhere..." She smiled to him, and that sign gave him hope again. She didn't recognise him after all!  
- "I was journeying because of the Empire. Now my mistress, Luka, has sent me out to gather information about the Imperial Forces. Especially interested in one Geshtar, she is..." He grinned. "That man couldn't have been born evil: he has once served Undine as a disciple of Luka, like I do now. Luka might have... Well, it just seems to me that she cared very much about his fate." Nasha's face darkened when she heard the latter.  
- "She and Geshtar? No, never! He had attacked the Water Palace once, held her prisoner, locked her in the cellar, soiled the Water Seed, tried to kill us FOUR times! How could she love him?!" She sighed: "How could she ever have loved him?"  
- "She has forgiven him... since she knew he was under Thanatos' dark spell's influence. And she loved him truly. His betrayal was indeed a harsh blow to her. But his sins are cleansed away: he didn't commit them."  
- "But he was impure!!" Nasha's look changed from disbelief to rejection, from disliking to hating. Geshtar was shocked by it, so shocked he took too big a bite out of his steak. He coughed as it went down the wrong way.  
- "I have learned to look deeper than the surface. Certainly, Geshtar must have been... different than he pretended to be... Different than he showed to be..." Nasha's peering eyes crossed his again: he looked down. Dinner was over while they had talked: the servant had already come to clean the table. He raised himself from his chair, still looking at the table, and spoke in a clear voice:  
- "Henry, miss Nasha, I have to go now. My quest for the Imperial Forces' true character beckons me to go around the world once more. Let me give you both this as a sign of my appreciation. It should come in handy for both of you..." He had raised his staff and Undine's Mana Powers flooded into the room (he had disapproved with it at first, but Undine had convinced him by saying it wasn't magic, just a mere trick), creating a beautiful starlet sky image on the ceiling. The stars twinkled, and there even was a real moon, in front of which clouds moved.  
Nasha started crying softly. Her hands tensed and all of a sudden, she saw someone different standing in front of her. Luka's disciple, Flamin, suddenly looked very much like Geshtar! But he appeared to be different: looking at her with so much kindness in his eyes, his smile hinting he wasn't like she had known him... She closed her eyes and opened them again: Flamin was gone, he had left already. She was very confused about what she had seen: what if Geshtar was still alive, and out there somewhere? What if he had disguised himself in a servant of Undine? ...What if he had never been evil? She had so many questions, but no answers. Maybe... Suddenly she got an idea. Sprite's spirit was still in Sprite Village, in the Upper Land Forest! He'd know what was going on!  
  
In the meantime, Geshtar had already called Flammie, and they too were on their way to the Upper Land Forest. Flammie gave no explanation, she just went that way and landed in front of a great palace with purple and dark blue glass windows.  
- "Thissss, Geshtar, is the Wind Palacccce. Here lives Ssssyplhid, and his caretaker... the grandfather of Sssstine..."  
- "Why did you bring me here? What's so special about Sylphid?" Geshtar looked around, and he trembled when he noticed an eerie figure floating over the trees. Slowly, he stepped towards it... only to stop and gasp right in front of it: it was that little sprite he had seen a million times... Stine. "H-hello, Stine...", was all he could utter. As the white figure floated to the Wind Palace, he stepped back.  
- "Hello, Flammie... I have to ask you, although it seems unnecessary, who he really is." The eyes of the ghastly kid changed slightly as he continued: "His true name is Geshtar Tirsh, aka Geshtar of the Empire. His... oh dear!" He turned towards Geshtar, his cheeks slightly pink, smiling: "You aren't evil, are you? I saw dark spells, I saw evil hypnosis, but never a trace of malevolence! You're a good guy! You're a nice guy!" Dancing around the amazed man, and singing so loud, the colors returned slightly to his outfit, only to fall back to their greyish-white appearance when he stopped.  
- "How did YOU know that?! Do you have..."  
- "No, I am a being of Mana, so I can see the truth and the hidden. When I saw Sheex, I knew he was a demon; when I met Thanatos, I sensed his true nature; when I saw the Mana Fortress appear... I knew before I joined Hopper that my quest for justice would bring my physical end... But I took the risk anyway. We all lost something, you know: Hopper lost his friends because he attracted monsters, Nasha lost both her lover and her best friends, and I lost my body. But you too have lost, I saw it: you miss Fanha, don't you? You loved her once, did you?" Dark blue eyes, cold and infinite like the night sky above him looked at him. Slightly, he nodded.  
- "Sprite child, huh? Never knew much about the Mana Heroes, but they still surprise me. Had dinner with Nasha and her father tonight, you know... She didn't recognise me..." He sighed: "Luckily, she didn't..."  
- "And what if she DID?! Geshtar, you can't hide forever! One day, they'll find out that you're still alive, and they'll kill you. Because they don't know what I know... One day, Geshtar, you will have to show yourself and be able to prove to the world that you aren't evil. Either that or live in fear... Just think of it: never showing yourself without a disguise, never being able to use your true name..." When he saw Geshtar wasn't impressed, he whispered: "...never being able to make Luka your wife..." That changed his impression: instead of thinking of the rest, he thought only of Luka. Stine had seen it, the desire hidden deep within his heart: the wish to marry Luka and have a wonderful future with her. Nothing in his present life was so dear to him as Luka, the frail young woman that had won his heart so long ago. And, determined, Geshtar answered the silent question in Stine's harsh words: "I will never give up my future with Luka! Good, Stine, you have convinced me. Where should I head next, then?"  
- "Go to the Lofty mountains, not to the Veedios but to Sage Joch. He knows more than I do about Thanatos, Sheex and Fanha. He might even be able to show you some interesting images..." He smiled briefly to Flammie: "Could I take Geshtar with me for a minute or five? I want to make him experience something..." And before Flammie had even answered, Stine took Geshtar's soul out of his body and floated to the tree tops. "This is where I now spend my nights, lying down on clouds and watching the stars, hoping that one day... One day, I will be able to return to the physical world. My body was held together by Mana's energy, so I will have a new one when it's restored... I hope..." Geshtar looked upwards, seeing the stars, and the rest of the world: but it all was very different. The stars were much brighter, and the world seemed to be illuminated with a glow from within, a weak but steady glow. Stine sensed his thoughts and told him about it: "The light which you see, radiating from the innermost part of this world, is Mana. It's glow is growing every day, but it still isn't as bright as before. Those stars are brighter because they too possess Mana Powers. The universe was once filled with it, then it gathered in planets, stars and other materia. Go back now, Geshtar: you'll die when you don't return... Go, don't look back to me: I will watch over you as you travel."  
Geshtar slowly faded his spirit back into his empty body, and stepped onto Flammie's back as soon as he was fully restored from the experiences. As the mighty dragon heaved her body into the night-sky, Stine's voice resounded into the night.  
- "I'll watch over you as you travel!"  
And as he disappeared out of sight, a soft voice, as if it was a young girl's, replied:  
- "...So will I, Geshtar..."  
  
When Geshtar opened his eyes, Flammie was already standing near to the Lofty Mountains.  
- "Ggggood morning, Geshtarrrr! I hope you slept welllllll, didn't want to awaaaaken you. You looked so cuuuuute!", Flammie said whilst eating several Rabites for breakfast. She shoved Geshtar a baked one, with a Faerie Walnut on the side.  
- "Good morning, Flammie. I slept very well, thank you very much. And you amaze me time and again. I didn't know you could make a fire!" He smiled softly. "Do Mana Dragons breathe fire?"  
- "Errrrrrr, they, do sometimesssss... But Hopper taught me to maaaaake a fire with a tree. My claws can tear down small, thin treeeees, and then shred them apart. Ffffire is simple: I scratch my ccclaws and the sparks light the wood! Hopper alwaaaaays did it with matchchchches, Nasha and Stine usssed Sallllamando, and I used either my ffffire breath or Hopper's method... Now, finish your breakfast, Gesssshtar. You have a long waaaaay ahead... I'll pick you up this evening at the summit, ooookay?" Geshtar nodded, and she sighed very carefully. "You're verrrrry pleasant companyyy... At least you don't ssssnore...", she murmured before taking off and leaving Geshtar behind in the cold mountain climat. He shuddered, and walked up the path.  
But his road was abruptly ended near a chasm. He had no means of crossing it. He shook his head... and remembered that Luka had given him a whip. He dropped his disguise, and searched his backpack: at the bottom of it was a whip with a worn handle: old, but suitable for the job. He got over the chasm by pulling himself across, and crossed several more until he reached the summit.  
Geshtar stopped to take a look around. He had a magnificent view from that high peak: the Water Palace, and the Wind palace in the Upper Land Forest... the Northlands, barren and desolate... the Kakkara desert, where Seyma lived, and where the Fire Palace was located... He could even see across the sea, to the Empire. That would be his next stop: he knew he must have kept a diary once. That diary would still be in his room... although...  
The memory flashed into his mind so suddenly and direct, that he nearly fell. It was a long forgotten moment, but very important in his history.  
- "Dammit, you beat me again! I'll burn down this place!!"  
He had just battled the Mana Heroes: for the second time, he had fought as Mech Rider. But for the second time, he had been personally defeated. He didn't feel hate for the Heroes. No, it was a deep feeling of failure that filled his heart.  
But what was more important, he had set fire to the Imperial Castle: and the fire was already raging it's way into the castle when Flammie came, knocked him down with a brush from her mighty wings and... extinguished the flames. He still remembered awakening: his armor charred and broken, his limbs bruised, his heart beating, with only a single thought in his mind and his heart: "Thanatos, you fool, they escaped me. Your dark spell is over, I can think again". He even remembered his best friend Fanha, standing next to him, saying: "Sorry, sorry.. I put this spell onto you... forgive me..."  
  
He stumbled up, his senses straightened again after his flashback. Why did Thanatos let Fanha put the spells on him? Why was Fanha so important to Thanatos? Why did Thanatos rather see him killed than Fanha? The answer was so simple and clear:   
- "...Because she used magic and I didn't. I survived that crash because of my Elemental Service. I survived the Mana Heroes because of that too. Right after every one of my battles, Thanatos' - no, Fanha's - spell dropped and I was resolved of evil. Thanatos didn't know that I had once served Undine... but then again, Fanha didn't either. Why was it then that her spells always wore off just in time?" He shook his head, to drive away the thoughts that delivered him anguish, and stepped towards the entrance of the cave where Sage Joch resided.  
- "Enter, Geshtar Tirsh, man of 130 years in age... Be welcome in my residence, I bear no hostility against you. Because my knowledge is greater than other people's. And because I have no reason to hate you." The odd man standing on the solemn flat rock in the grotto spoke to him in the ancient language, and smiled when Geshtar approached him very carefully. "No, don't be afraid, just ask what you want to know... if you want to find out for yourself what kind of man you were..."  
- "Allright then, tell me the reason of my role in the conquest of Pandoria."  
- "Fine. Sit down and listen," Joch said while he pointed at a rock near his one "for this is a long story... When Thanatos became an Imperial Bodyguard, together with you and the girl called Fanha, Emperor Vandole asked him for proof of his powers. Therefor, Thanatos conquered the south ruins of Pandoria and started distributing herbs among the townsfolk... herbs that made them mindlessly obedient to him. Of course, many villagers didn't know why the others acted so strange. Or they didn't want to be turned into living dead... Anyway, most of the townsfolk was subjected, the rest avoided the ruins as the place where all the evil started... You had no part in the conquest of Pandoria, you had a different task... namely, to fight against Tasnica, which you accepted to do because you were spellbound. You were able to sneak past the defenses and assassinate most important people living in the castle. Among those was an elderly knight named Serin and his younger protegé, Jema. You slashed the old man's throat, hit the young man severely and left them both to die of their wounds. But Jema was still strong enough to take Serin's sword and journey to the Pure Land, where his son Hopper and his wife lived. The woman took her son to Potos and disappeared into thin air when she knew he was taken care of. Fate foresaw that Hopper would take the Mana Sword - Serin's sword - from it's resting place, in a creek near Potos, and to use it against you, unwillingly the murderer of his father. Anything else you want to know?"  
- "Yes!" Geshtar suddenly thought of a question to ask the wise sage. "Tell me where, when and why I came across Thanatos!"  
- "He was a very rich and hated man, who used to take refuge near here... in Shade's temple. Once, you see, Thanatos - once called Evan Thanatos - served Shade as his most loyal servant and trusted friend. One day, however, Thanatos summoned an evil spirit, that immediately fed itself... with the poos man's soul! He then took over the cooling body and had disposition over several dark spells, capable hands and a high position in society. Shade knew, and threw Thanatos among his demonical hordes to be devoured, although he survived there for nearly two hundred years... eating away on the supernatural powers in the monster bodies, growing in strength and stamina...  
And then, he ventured out, his spirit in a flying demon's body. In Pandoria, he found a new body - that of a rich merchant called Immin. He hired you to eliminate three men, all messengers of the rich town of the Fungi. And you did so, impressing him with your skill, strength and endurance (you did not sleep for three weeks when you fulfilled his mission). When he offered you a place among his ranks, you simply could not refuse his offer... but what you didn't know, was that he had wounded you a little when you signed his contract. Your blood mixed with the ink, and that sealed your fate: you were at his disposition, powerless against him and his servants, but you also got supernatural strength and skills. It worked in two ways, and you couldn't break it out of own strength... Thus, you and Fanha came up with a plan in the end. If you didn't pose too great a threat to the Mana Heroes, they would find their way to Thanatos sooner and be able to break the curse he used on both of you by his death - or at least the taking away of his powers by killing him in his host body. Unfortunately for Fanha, she was killed in her fight against the Mana Heroes. This enraged you and you forgot your plan... The Mana Heroes smashed your armor, and the explosion of it hurled you away of the Rising Continent to the desert. Thanatos was killed too, and that saved you. If Thanatos hadn't been killed soon enough, you too would be floating around in nothingness..." Joch paused. "Your coming across Thanatos was pure coincidence, but your following the Empire in its turning towards evil wasn't. Your destiny to have stood on both sides of the eternal flow has been fulfilled this way. And you have listened to your parents' last wish... It was : "Geshtar, may you never be evil of nature, but may you have come across evil and come out alive. May your children be of holy nature and may your friends be both those who brought the world near its fall and those who saved it from falling!" You were never evil of nature, but you were forced to do evil by spells and curses. Your children - yes, you will have children, and I think you know who their mother will be - will be children in service of Mana... Your friends are Fanha and Sheex, those who helped Thanatos in his evil desire, and Flammie, the one who helped the Mana Heroes stop Thanatos. You see, Geshtar, I know of your parents and your innermost feelings. It was not just friendship you felt for the woman named Fanha, wasn't it?" He smiled, and then raised himself. "I hear the brushing of wings in the air. Dragon wings: it must be Flammie, returning for you. Go now, you still have a long and tiring journey ahead. May Solar guide you on your path, and may the Mana surrounding us shed its light on the darkness covering your soul!" With these words, he turned around and stepped into the dark cave behind him, leaving Geshtar to go out and travel onwards. Geshtar noticed a small package lying on the floor beside him and took it with him, outside.  
Flammie was standing on the narrow path to the cave, looking over the world. Her eyes were deep majestic purple and the evening sun set her feathers ablaze in golden light. But tears were running down her cheeks, and she didn't notice Geshtar until he came to stand beside her.  
- "Hey, girl, why are you crying?" He patted the strong wings, his hand brushing over the cold feathers. She sighed, a very melodious sound compared to his voice.  
- "I... I miss my kiiiind... The inferior Mana Dragons once flew through the Upper Land Forest, but they died when the Mana Beast was slain. Geshtar, their death makes me realise that dragons like me will die when the Mana Beast is killed by the Mana Sword." She paused for a minute, and continued whispering: "... It means I'll die soon, Geshtar... My place in this world is fading, my role has been played, my kindred is already gone."  
- "NO!!!" Geshtar cried against the night, whilst embracing Flammie. "You can't die! One dragon will have to live to continue the legend. And... no, my friend, I will not let you die..." He stepped onto her back. "Let's travel onward, Flammie dear, to the Empire!"  
  
Meanwhile, Nasha had arrived in the destroyed Sprite Village, and was already talking to Stine. Her disbelief grew when Stine told her what had happened, and what was going to happen.  
- "No, how could Geshtar still be alive? I saw the explosion of his armor... No normal man can survive that!"  
- "He is no normal man, Nasha," Stine spoke in his ghastly calm voice, "he is Undine's servant, now travelling the world in the disguise of a disciple. His name is..."  
- "I know already," she hastily interrupted, "he uses the name Flamin. And I do believe that he was under dark spells, but how can he still look at himself without seeing a terrible man looking at him? He did those things, how can he bear the guilt, the remorse, the... pain?"  
- "Nasha, don't you understand?!" Stine's spirit cried out, his color becoming more visible, "He can't bear those feelings! He's all alone, because no one really knows what he's going through, let alone knows that he ain't evil!!" calming down, he whispered: "You must know, dear Nasha... You, of all people, must feel that guilt, that loneliness, that pain... But you only lost one person dear to you. Geshtar lost his closest and truest of friends, Fanha; he lost a dear friend, Sheex; he killed innocent people; he hurted his one true love, Luka... He did the acts of evil, and was powerless to stop Thanatos from doing his sinister bidding... He could not react, couldn't escape..."  
Nasha hid her tears. She had never thought of his agony, only of her own. Hopper had killed many monsters, and he too had lost many dear ones. Guilt and sorrow were never far away for a hero, he had always said... but didn't that count for Geshtar too? Didn't he deserve to be thought of as a human being? Didn't he deserve... a chance?  
  
- "Hey, Geshtar... Waaaake up!"  
Flammie's soft but irrepressible voice awakened him from a pleasant dream. He opened his eyes and saw that it was already noon. He had overslept!!  
- "Hey, Flammie... Is there still some food left? I'm really hungry!" He noticed a fried bird lying near him. From the first bite, it tasted miraculously good. "Hey, this is GREAT! What's your secret ingredient?"  
- "This is fffried with Mana Dragon Fire." For the first time since they met, she laughed: it sounded like a waterfall of little silver coins. "That maaaakes it taste unusual! Say, Geshtarrr, how are you going to ennnnter the Imperial Castle?"  
- "Like I look now. They still obey me, you know. But they despise me... yeah, they really hate me..." He got up, and turned towards the city. "Flammie, come back tomorrow evening, I'll probably be done by then. Bye, dear girl!" He walked through the gates when Flammie circled over his head before leaving. 


	4. Upstream 2

As soon as he had entered, people started to stare at him. They gossiped on about the horror that he had brought upon them, about the incident with the girl. But they left him alone, terrified of some power they claimed he had. Nearing the castle, he saw some soldiers snap in position.  
- "S-s-sir Geshtar! W-what brings you here?!", one of them stumbled. All looked frightened, probably because he was thought smashed to bits either by the Mana Heroes or the Beast itself. But he didn't flinch, he frowned and spoke in a loud voice:  
- "What's your problem, crawler?! You think you can ASK me what I'm coming back for?!!" He raised his sword and saw the guards flinch. But hitting him would only make him look bad, he realised, so he continued: "You're all lucky I'm tired. Next time, just let me pass through and don't ask me those silly questions... if you want to have another night's sleep..." And, saying the latter, he stepped through the gates and into the castle.  
He realised that he would have to pay tribute to the Empress before going back to his old room. Walking to the audience hall, he saw many servants bow to him... like nothing had happened. So he guessed he must have been nice and polite inside the castle. "Could come in handy...", he muttered before stepping towards the throne in which the Empress Algea sat: her flowing black hair reaching all the way to the floor was already filled with little bits of grey, her grey robes nearly bleached white. But she still looked majestic: her eyes looked at him with all their royal grace, her hands were still frail but steady and when she raised herself to greet him, she did so with utter care. Seeing her in all her greatness and might made him fall to his knees and put his sword down.  
- "My Empress Algea, your beauty and splendor remain unmatched."  
- "Enough of that bowing and brownnosing...", she said with a smile, "Come forth and embrace me, as a friend." He raised himself, put away his sword and stepped towards her, taking her hand and kissing it. He put his hands on her shoulders, but she took them and put them around her waist.  
- "Why, Empress..."  
- "Don't call me that anymore, Geshtar. I am now Queen Algea of the Green Cities. Gold Isle sank a few weeks ago because of the earthquakes, and I must say I'm glad about that... I've been sitting here almost all that time. Now, show me your compassion and guide me to my rooms." Geshtar was shocked because of her invitation: "Algea, I'm sure it isn't fit for you to invite a man like me to your rooms..." His protests were to no avail: she dragged him along to her rooms. Once inside, she relaxed and took his hand.  
- "Geshtar, tell me what is going on. You were defeated by the Mana Knights... I know because they told me themselves! How did you survive?" She smiled when he scratched his left ear. "At least your real self hasn't changed a bit! I know how Thanatos bound you, he did the same to my husband. But enough already, tell me."  
Geshtar told her of his savior, her good cares, his stay in the Water Palace, the amnesia and his quest for himself. She quickly guessed the reason for returning to the Empire.  
- "Sure, Geshtar, you can enter any of the rooms used by Thanatos' party. And be sure to ask me anything...", she lowered her voice slightly and whispered to him while following the sheath of his sword, "... anything at all..."  
Geshtar blushed: somewhere he had always known that Empress Algea was fond of him. But this fond? Had she ever suggested improper behavior? ...Had he ever agreed on that... or participated in it?  
- "Well... I better get going. The sooner I finish my quest, the sooner I can return to Luka." He turned around. "Thanks for the offer, but this time I better decline. Sorry if I hurt your feelings, Algea: I have changed." He walked away through the great halls of the Empire, to get to the room where he once had slept, dreamt and hoped.  
Slowly, the door opened, revealing a big empty room - or was it? The desk was dusty and the bed ravaged. But his old shirts and trousers were still hanging in the wardrobe, and underneath his pillow was... the diary! He started reading it, and stopped at a small note he had scribbled hastily:  
"Today we went hunting. Emperor Vandole ordered me to escort his "charming wife", the Empress Algea. If he'd only know I do more than escorting her..." He blushed: so he didn't have a false impulse when around her - once he must have been yearning for her, like he was yearning for Luka now. He continued to search...  
"Thanatos drives me insane! That poor kid Fanha... he has made her summon a Darkness Dragon! That's way too much for a kid like her! She's still unconscious, but sometimes I can feel her agony. Her soul is screaming "Let it stop, Geshtar!", but what can I do? Thanatos has his demon, I'll be killed as soon as I disobey!"  
"Why, Fanha has fallen in love with her own conjuration! He's called SIR Sheex nowadays... I don't like him, no matter what his name is - Sheex, Dark Stalker or Aegragropollion! Poor child, she really IS fond of him... Why doesn't she like me instead?"  
"He's really done it this time, the goddamn lich he is! Put a spell over me, made me rape and slaughter an innocent girl... He's NUTS, goddammit!!!" The rest of that entry was blurred.  
"Awoke somewhere on a cold and dusty floor, somewhere far away. Fanha was there, too. What has happened? I saw some blood-stained armor parts on the floor... Sheex, maybe I never really knew you, but you were so human..."  
  
Geshtar was about to put back the diary when something fell out. It was his key to the room of Fanha. Also, a note fell to his feet. It was a good-bye letter from her.  
"Dear Geshtar,  
I'm going after him. May the Gods have mercy on my soul, I'm following my heart. Maybe it won't set back the evil done, but it's a part of a greater justice.  
Don't follow me... you mean too much to me to follow me mindlessly.  
With all my love, Fanha"  
He remembered it: he had found the letter, read it, and immediately dressed. He did exactly the opposite of what she asked... and if it hadn't been for the defeat of that vile serpent Thanatos, he would have been dead too. The evil curse was broken, his soul was set free and his heart became filled with good once again. His Elemental Benefit saved his life... just in time. He just wished he could have saved Fanha...  
  
He turned around and walked to her room. The key easily fit in the keyhole, and in a matter of a few seconds to find the right way to turn the thing, he stood in a room that had unmistakenly belonged to his best friend and her lover. The room was very tidy, all of Sheex' stuff were stacked in a closet that was locked. The desk, where she had written dozens of stories, was covered with pens and pencils in all colors and sizes. Was she an artist as well, then? Geshtar picked up one of her drawings: it showed him, armored and ready for battle. He held his sword menacingly and his mantle flowed around him like a cloud around a high mountain peak. The next drawing depicted Thanatos, dying because of the Mana Sword. Hopper held it high, it shone brightly - even when covered with the blood of the most evil creature ever. Beside Hopper, Nasha - in tears for her lost lover - and Stine - his hand against his forehead, as if he suffered from extreme migraine. On the back of that one was a note:  
"Thanatos was slain by Hopper, the Mana Knight. The Sword shines when justice is done, it has defeated evil and sings in harmony with the wings of the Mana Beast. Nasha's lover, Dyluck, was killed because Thanatos possessed him. And Stine, Most Courageous of all Sprites, lost his solid form because Mana disappeared." He shuddered as it hit him that Fanha couldn't have seen and known that: she had died a while before those events... or had she?  
- "I can understand your disbelief, Geshtar. But indeed, I drew this... in my current form." Geshtar heard it, a faint whispering coming from behind him. He turned around, and indeed, there she was: a spirit floating in mid-air, her shape undoubtedly hers.  
- "Fanha, how come...?"  
- "Ssssh, Geshtar, it's a long story... But first I've got to disappoint you: I'm fading away. I'm still here because I have been chosen to tell the world, the future, to be careful for Thanatos' evil. One day, he will rise again... and then, he will be aided by those of TRUE evil nature! Take the drawings with you... remember me as I once was and like I am now: always truly a spirit of good."  
- "Wait, Fanha, tell me: why are you fading?"  
- "I can remain here because Mana is still weak... but it's rising rapidly and I won't be around for too long... Understand, Geshtar, that one day... one day, we'll be together again - as friends. Yes, Geshtar, I know what you have felt for me all those wasted years... and I did feel the same once, but now it has changed. You have Luka, I have Sheex. But we'll always have each other. We are one soul split in half and joined by fate... but never to be reunited." She dissipated, leaving him behind in the empty, hollow room.  
  
Geshtar didn't remember how he got outside. The next thing he knew, he was standing outside crying his eyes out. The drum already in his hand, Flammie landed next to him.  
- "Rrrreeeeh... Isss your research here dooooone already?! You're cryinnnnnng! What has happened?" Her purple eyes gazed at him, mildly amused.  
- "I... I met my twin soul, that's all... Tell me: why does Mana keep some alive and kills the others?"  
- "Gessssshtar! I cannot tell you that!" Suddenly, Flammie was shocked. Her eyes became burgundy, her feathers brushed into each other to accentuate her anger: it made the horribly loud sound of a raging river. "You young hot-heeeead! I will never be able to tell you that!"  
- "S-sorry... Can we go now? I want to go to the Desert, just drop me off somewhere near Kakkara."  
  
He reached the desert city at high noon, covered with sweat and dust. They had flown all night to reach the desert (somewhere, Flammie had lost her sense of direction and had to be guided by Geshtar), and she had landed in the middle of the desert, leaving him to search for the city in the early morning sun. But now, finally, he had reached it! His tired eyes looked around to find an inn somewhere.  
- "Oh, dear! Poor man, let me help you!" A voice that sounded so familiar... He turned around: it was Seyma, his savior. Lucky I've assumed my disguise again, he thought. "Come with me, sir. I can offer you a nice cool bath, a decent meal and a good night's sleep. My name is Seyma, I serve Salamando in the Fire Temple." She smiled and took him to a small house in the shadow. Inside, she asked him which Element he served, and what brought him in the desert.  
- "I am Flamin, I serve Undine, the Element of Water. Luka, her caretaker, has sent me out to find out about the Imperial bodyguards Sheex, Fanha, Thanatos and Geshtar. She appears to be really fond of him..."  
- "HOW COULD SHE DO THAT?!" Seyma had yelled it, and it was filled with hate and despise. "Geshtar of the Empire is an evil, evil man!!"  
- "Oh, she thinks he isn't. I don't know whether she's right or the rest of the world is. I have journeyed around before..." He saw her gazing towards an invisible object on the cupboard, so he quickly added: "Luka sent me here to investigate his past. He's dead now, I suppose..."  
- "No, he isn't... He has survived because he was a..."  
- "...Servant of Undine, yes I know. She has told me when he had attacked the Water Palace. Hopper first met him there, and she burst into sobs right after the Heroes had left... She gave me my first mission there: follow Geshtar, record his acts of terror, and report all that to her." He gazed at her, admiring the dark shade of blue her eyes. "How about that bath, dear lady?"  
- "Don't call me that, but call me Seyma." She smiled slightly after having seen the expression of amazement in his eyes. "It's a long story, I'll tell you tomorrow..."  
She showed him a small room where a bath was placed, surrounded by shelves: soap, towels, clothes, herbs, boxes and a single bucket were placed on them. The water was especially cool in the hot climate. As he took off his clothing and slipped into the water, he sighed of relief: the burden of the last few days seemed to be lifted off his shoulders and put far, far away. The soap he had picked, smelled like the rare desert lilies. The scent made him very dreamily, images came flooding into his head. Images of his childhood: his pet dog, Myst; his mother and father; one of his sisters, Maysel, handing him some berries (he faintly remembered him being very sick by eating them... She died two days before he was fully recovered: the amount of berry poison in her body was three times the lethal dose.); his other two sisters, Eysha and Lyven, taking care of him when his parents were out for business. But he had the feeling a shadow was lying over his past. He couldn't figure out what it was, until he remembered he had copied all of his family's charts. There would lie the answer... there, in his sisters' files, would lie the words that held the key to his darkest memories...  
He rinsed off the soap and came out of the water reluctantly, taking a greenish towel and drying himself. When he dried his left foot, it came to him that the fabric was soft... much more soft than he was used to. Faint memories of icy water, rough linen towels, snow and crying... The dark secret... The dark side... He whinced, then dried his other foot and got dressed. In the meantime, Seyma had prepared him a good and healthy meal: he ate it all, with a few glasses of the best wine he'd ever tasted. Then, she showed him to a small room which held a bed and a small cupboard.  
- "There's a long shirt in there, so you don't sweat too much. Goodnight!"  
- "Goodnight, Seyma! ...Say, why are you doing this? I'm a mere Servant of Undine!"  
- "That's why I do it." She smiled, revealing a perfectly symmetrical smile that was heart-warming. "We Elemental Servants must stand up for ourselves in this world. We are gravely underestimated!" Her eyes darkened. "You just go to sleep now, I'll take care of the rest. Goodnight, Flamin!"  
  
The next day, he awoke of soft sunlight falling through the window, and he was immediately out of bed. His clothing felt amazingly cool, and he picked up a soft flowery scent as he put them back on. Seyma had left him a note, saying she had gone for her service in the Fire Palace: he then had a small but nutricious breakfast and went there too.  
The desert was remarkingly hot, even in the early morning. He stepped to the imposing castle, surrounded by a few lava pits and quicksand. Inside, a man came towards him.  
- "Sir, do you wish an audience with Salamando?" He nodded, and the man blindfolded him. "Follow me please, sir." He was lead through a network of tunnels, past lava-pits, over crevasses and into the very heart of the Palace. The man took off his blindfold and pushed open the door to the Seed Chamber.  
As Geshtar walked in, his disguise dropped: the Mana Seed penetrated his disguise and showed his true self. In front of the pedestal stood Salamando.  
- "Welcome Geshtar. I knew you would come to see me one day. Your disguise has dropped here... I assume you know why?" He smiled.  
- "Yes. After all, I've spent most of my life serving Undine... I come for answers."  
- "Depending on which questions, I will answer them." The fiery Elemental floated - no, burned - to him.  
- "First of all, what was my task while serving the Empire?"  
- "You were the army lieutenant. Thanatos had lieutenants for everything: army, demons and Mana. You led the Imperial army after Vandole's generals all were killed. Sheex, being a demon himself, led the demonic hordes. And Fanha, gaining the necessary information from your mind, was responsible for breaking the seals on the Mana Seeds. You were kept loyal with spells, cast on you by both Fanha and Thanatos. It broke your heart to know Fanha, your best friend, liked some one better than you, but what really hurt you was that he was a demon: Sheex." He raised his staff. "More questions?"  
- "Yes. Why did Thanatos need the help of Phanna, that innocent girl from Pandoria?"  
- "Hmmm... Phanna possessed the most life force on the planet! Demons don't have that, humans have it the strongest. Her blood lineage had very strong life force, even for humans!" The flaming salamander paused. "She had the lowest resistance, could easily be caught with false promises... just like you..."  
- "Hmph! I was weak because I drank!" Geshtar felt low and degraded by the Fire Elemental in front of him. "What was that girl's weakness then?"  
- "Her weakness was love: she had fallen in love with Dyluck and felt secret jealousy when he preferred Nasha over her. His attention went directly towards her, and Phanna became bitter within... Then, when Thanatos promised her he'd give Dyluck to her, he kept his word... knowing Nasha would hear from it and disrupt her - spellbound - happiness. And, well, the rest is history: by slapping Phanna in the face, Nasha broke the spell and saved her best friend. Dyluck was far too sensitive to Thanatos' wizardry, he could only be saved by Nasha's love... with the additional help from a spearpoint or two by Hopper... More questions?"  
- "Uhh, only one... Tell me, can you summon Sheex?"  
- "NO!" Salamando's fire grew and became white, by fear. "NO, NEVER AGAIN! Once, Geshtar, an Aegragropollion was set loose on the face of the Earth. That one time was one too many. Demons like Sheex are nothing to toy with!"  
He turned around, to see someone come through the door... Seyma! She saw him and was shocked until deep in her soul.  
- "Geshtar!! You... you FIEND!!" The sound of metal scraping metal as she drew a small dagger. "I'd rather kill you than have you harm Salamando!"  
- "Seyma!" Salamando's voice was harsh and reprimanding. "Go back there and wait until we are finished. He isn't evil anymore, if that's what has been bothering you... Go now before I relieve you of your services!" Seyma turned white as chalk, then bowed icily in front of Geshtar and went back where she came from. "Poor girl, she's still too young to serve me... but I need a caretaker until Mana is fully restored. It won't take long anymore... not too long... Well, do you still have questions? No? Then go, to where you have to go next. I bid you farewell, Geshtar, and hope that you will find your answers soon."  
Geshtar assumed his disguise again, struggling against the Mana Powers in the room. As he was guided outside the palace, he thought about Seyma's reaction to him. His thoughts of friendship hadn't changed: she was still a sweet girl to him, but he... He didn't think she liked him anymore... He turned around, facing the Palace, and walked away, tears running down his cheeks for losing a good friend. And inside the Palace, Seyma too cried: he wasn't the man she thought he was. That felt bitter in her heart, and she tasted that bitterness all the better now she had seen him again. He had assumed the disguise of a servant of Undine... Luka had to be warned! If he had given her a false name and pretended to be someone else, then surely Luka wouldn't like that!! She went to her house, faintly noticing a large white dragon flying over the desert. She'd go to Luka, and tell her what Geshtar had told her. She'd foil his plans, although she didn't know them... She'd foil them, foil them good...  
  
- "Rrrrrrrrraaaaaii, Geshtar... Al that flying around has made me verrrrry tired. Only to the Tree Palace and back to the Water Palace, prrrromise me!" The white dragon whispered. Strange, have her wings turned green? Geshtar wondered.  
- "Allright, girl, I promise. Please, take me there. I'll guide you, unless your sight is fully restored..." He looked at her purple eyes, which were slightly burgundy at that moment.  
- "Nnnnoooo, I'll need your guidanccce... Please, get onto my back, Gessssshtar." He climbed onto her back, and petted her soft downy neck feathers as she lifted her majestic body off the hot desert soil. They flew towards the small coral island, where the Tree Palace stood. Flammie's wings beated in a melodic way...  
... and far away, Stine's spirit floated next to Fanha's. Stine was faintly colored, and clearly visible; Fanha was no more than a slightly visible spirit of her former self. Both of them said, at exactly the same time, as they heard the melody being carried over the world:  
- "It has begun." 


	5. Future, Life's Blossom 1

Questis Geshtar, part 3: Future, Life's blossom  
by Kaeli  
Flammie landed next to the palace, spreaded her wings and laid her head on the soft moss.  
- "Go inssside, Geshtar. I willllll sleep out here, sssso call me if you need meeee..." As Geshtar rubbed her forehead, she fell asleep, totally exhausted by the long journey. Geshtar smiled as he heard the soft melodious sound of her snores, and he stood there for a moment. The melody reminded him of something... but he couldn't remember what it reminded him of. Instead of thinking about it any longer, he turned to the Palace and walked towards it.  
Suddenly, he stopped, just a few feet away from the palace doors. A strange power crept up his body, probing and searching his soul. He felt nauseous: after a while, he had to throw up. When he did, the strange feeling left him sickened. Geshtar wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.  
- "Jeezes, what was that?! I feel like I've pushed my entire system out!" He stepped up to the doors, and pushed them open, causing his disguise to drop almost immediately. The Tree Palace was just like he remembered it: big, green, and empty... Dryad was nowhere around. And yet, while she wasn't in the main hall, her voice resounded through the halls, as timid and as girlish as he remembered it:  
- "Geshtar Tirsh, man born in light and conquered by darkness... Proceed, I know why you are here..."As if it were automatic, he found the stairs to the Seed Chamber. He knew he had gone up those stairs before, but why? Another thing he could not remember... But his worries dissipated as he saw Dryad, who was sitting on the stairs of the Seed pedestal. Her luscious green hair, like palm tree leaves, was dew-covered and held in its upright position by a tough bandanna made of palm tree bark. Her body started like a young girl's and ended in a lot of roots and bark. Her face was still pale, and so were her arms: it looked like she wore a disguise. The greenest of eyes twinkled in that face, and she blushed shyly as she saw the handsome man approach her. But underneath that girlish look and that shy smile, Geshtar realised, a tremendous power and a great strength were hidden. He bowed in front of   
her, showing her the respect she should receive:  
- "Greetings, Dryad, most gracious Elemental of Nature..." He paused when he saw her smile impishly.  
- "Hello, Geshtar, just stand up now... I know who you are, and you know who I am. No need for calling a little girl like me big names... Err, maybe you want to hear a story?" She looked so enthusiastic, he just couldn't say no. "Listen well, this is a story known only by two persons still living, and one long dead. One day, long ago, mankind found an ancient energy. This energy was called Mana, the planet's natural life force. The gods watched over this energy, protecting it so the planets could all keep on existing. But humanity, so long ago, needed new and greater power sources. They had lost all respect for the gods, and they wanted to defy them: thus, they made the Mana Fortress, arming it with sophisticated weaponry and great defenses. The Mana of this planet was nearly depleated, and the gods responded to the human defiance. They created the Mana Beasts: beings with such tremendous powers, they could eradicate humanity with their fiery breaths and level the planet so Mana could regenerate itself. There were nine Mana Beasts: one for each true Elemental and one for our creator, the beautiful being called Solar, Elemental of the gods. Solar was, in fact, one of the gods once, the only female one. The most mighty god splitted himself in half: one female part, Solar, and one male part, that was called Celys. Solar became Elemental, by being granted the power to turn the spirits empowering this planet into semi-gods like herself. Celys didn't like that at all: the gods had made him into a full god and he felt a severe dislike of his "sister". Solar didn't care for his opinion: so when the Beasts attacked, she rode on her very own beast, together with the other eight Elementals. She made us like the images she had seen in ancient books: Undine as a women that was half-fish, a mermaid; Sylphid like a floating servant of the winds, a jinn; Gnome like a small and mischevous dwarf, a leprechaun; Salamando as a being of flame, a salamander; Shade as the dark night; Lumina as a star; Luna as a moon elf, bodyless and eerie; and me like the forest nymphs called dryads. She was cast out of heaven by her brother, ruler over the gods, but re-introduced as angelic Elemental of the gods. The beasts were beautiful in all their might... I believe I have a picture of them here..." She took a painting, which depicted all of the Beasts, with the Elementals. Geshtar looked and was amazed: he saw the magnificent blueish-green feathers of the Water Beast, the impressive fiery colors of the Fire Beast, the pitch black darkness reflected from the Night Beast, and last, but not least, Solar and her Beast... The beast itself was pink, with green wings, and had the deepest of burgundy eyes: Solar stood in front of it, her white dress flowing, ending in a mist-like cloud at her feet. Her face was near expressionless, except for a faint smile. From her back sprouted magnificent wings, in a very light shade of blue. In each hand, she held a sword: one was made entirely of silver, one of gold. Her hair, long and reddish, was adorned with threads of gold woven throughout it. She was devastatingly handsome, and yet as innocent as a newborn baby. He sighed as he put the painting down.  
- "Dryad, who else knows this story, besides the Elementals and me?"  
- "Luka, because she has been born as daughter of a sage; Sage Joch, for he is all-seeing; and the person who is now dead is Evan Thanatos, aka Thanatos the dark lich. He has witnessed the "birth" of the Elementals from up close: he stood high on top of the Mana Fortress when the Beasts came down and destroyed nearly everything. Only, like Luka surely has said before, the people and places chosen by the Elementals were spared. And Thanatos belonged to the chosen ones..." She sighed, her cheeks turning a sort of deep purple. "My servant was then called Mischa. She was a painter, she made this. When you look at it just now, you see rough strikes of paint. But there's a trick to it. You see, when the Beasts attacked, Mischa was struck by the immense light of the Light Beast. She was blind, the poor thing... So, look at it again. What do you think of it?" She gestured   
towards Geshtar, smiling gently.  
- "Well, it's supernatural!" It was the only word he could think of; just the right word for the image. "What did she look like, that Mischa?"  
- "She had long hair in a beautiful color: like the bark of a tree in the evening sun, reddish brown. Her eyes were empty and always gazing towards the horizon. I think she hoped for the return of her relatives, or of her husband. She was in blessed condition when the Beasts attacked. Her child was born in this very palace: it was the first time that blood was shed here. The stains cannot be removed from the tiles. I guess they have grown in... But enough about Mischa. You have come here for a reason. To see your past, is it? Well, I think I can help you..." She neared him, her roots brushing sofly over the moss-covered floor of the Seed Chamber. "Close your eyes. I can show you anything you have questions about. Just relax and let me show you what you want to see... what you need to see..."  
  
His mind became filled with memories.  
- "Miss Luka! Miss Luka! Look what I've got!" He saw himself as a small boy, looking like he was ten years old. He held something in his hands, and ran towards Luka to show it to her. "It's a dragonfly. A very beautiful one, with luminescent wings. I wanna give this one to you, as a gift... It's as lovely as you are!" He handed her the timid little insect, and saw her whisper something to it before releasing it into the open air again. "Hey! You let it go! Why?"  
- "Well, I've given it a message to spread around the world. If you make a wish and tell it to a dragonfly, it'll make sure your wish comes true..." She smiled as he caught another one and whispered his own wish to it before opening his hands and letting it fly away into the world.  
- "Does it really work, Luka?" He looked at her with wonder-filled eyes.  
- "Sure!" She smiled as he did. The boy was happy. Suddenly, Geshtar knew what he had wished for: for Luka to love him. The dragonfly had really fulfilled his wish, just like Luka had said...  
Another memory came to him.  
- "What's the matter, Luka, don't you like it?" He looked a lot older, about seventeen. His armor shone in the light of the holy fire. His hair flowed onto his back, and blended in nicely with the mantle. Luka stood before him, looking admiringly at him, her hands resting on her lap.  
- "O-of course I like it, Geshtar... It looks so... radiant!" Her confused reply gave away her bewildered thoughts. Luka had told him she had loved him since he had grown up. Was that the reason for the hasty response and her sparkling eyes? He quietly wondered... until the next piece of his memory came forth.  
- "Fanha, please... I need to know what Thanatos has ordered you to do. Tell me, please, I beg of you!" He stood in front of the red-haired mage, beckoning her to answer his questions.  
- "I have been ordered to summon another demon. One of the Middle Order. The idiot is afraid to be killed by it, so he asks - no, commands - me to do it! The damn idiot! If I die, he loses his control over the demon I summoned."  
- "Come on, Fanha, IF you are killed by that demon, I'll slay Thanatos faster than he can lift a finger! I'll avenge you..." His words became more gentle as he took the frail hands of the mage into his own rough ones. "I hold you very dear, Fanha, can't you see? I'd rather die than see you turn away from me... So please, don't do so. I'd die of misery!"  
- "Oh, Geshtar... Thanks!" She hugged him and held him for a long time before going to her quarters. Before going outside his room, she turned around and said: "I'm very happy to have a friend like you!"  
The next memory was different. He was spellbound and doing Thanatos' will.  
- "Luka, just hand over the Mana Seed and no one gets hurt." His evil grin really hurt poor Luka, he could clearly see it in her eyes: filled with tears. Bitter tears of a broken heart...  
- "It was stolen. You're too late. Now go away!" She spoke with a slightly too high voice.  
- "Oh, but surely you've sent someone to fetch it? I'll just wait here... And when your servant returns, he'll hand over the seed. And die! Hahahahaha..." Luka sank to her knees, her head hidden in her hands, sobbing. Geshtar never knew what he was like when he was under Thanatos' dark influence... but now he cursed the day he agreed to follow the bastard. His own eyes filled with tears when he saw himself acting so icily around Luka in his memory.  
The next vision made him feel a lot better. It was a vision of Fanha and him.  
- "Fanha... Are you allright?" He held her hand as she awoke in the hospital bed next to his. "Another day in paradise...", he whispered towards her sarcastically as she took a look at her blood-stained dress, her arms and legs which were covered with wounds and bandage.  
- "Seems like it, Geshtar", she responded when she was fully aware of the situation they both were in. "Sorry for it all. I have to put you under spells and all... Thanatos will pay for that one day, I can sense it!" She cried, unable to wipe the tears off her cheeks. Geshtar sat up, pulled a few wires loose and wiped them away.  
- "Yeah, he'll pay. For every tear you cry, dear Fanha, he'll pay ten times!"  
Another vision amazed him. He saw himself, sitting in the meeting hall of the Imperial castle. Fanha and Sheex sat opposite to him: Sheex growled to him, and Fanha smiled her usual friendly smile. Emperor Vandole had a fit with Thanatos, who had left his mask in his room. Cold, empty eyes gazed at the emperor.  
- "No, Thanatos, I'm sorry. I can not give you that much power! The Imperial soldiers, the demons, including this one-", he pointed at Sheex, who smiled sarcastically, "-they are enough! If you have insufficient man power, summon more demons, lich!" The latter clearly and obviously shocked Thanatos.  
- "Very well, Emperor Vandole. We'll count votes for it. All rise!" Geshtar saw Empress Algea raise herself from her seat, blinking naughtity at him; Raziel, captain of the Imperial castle guards and second-in-command to him, stood up too. And mayor Handsley was present too. "All those in favor of the Emperor, step to him. All those in favor of me, come to me." Slowly, Geshtar saw himself going to the Emperor, together with Algea, Raziel, the mayor... and Fanha. The expression on Thanatos' face was magnificent to behold: confusion, anger and defeat mixed together and smeared all over his face. He felt great as the images faded away.  
The last of his visions... a devastating one...Geshtar saw himself arriving at the rising Fortress... just in time to see the Mana Hero plunge his sword into Fanha's heart. With a sigh, the naga form shifted into Fanha's own body again to die with a smile of relief on her face. He cried out in despair as the Mana Heroes stood before her cooling corpse.  
- "No, this cannot be the end! Fanha, Fanha dear! Don't die now! Thanatos still hasn't received our revenge yet! No, don't die... Don't die... DOOOON'T!!!!!"  
He hurried to avenge Fanha's death, hoisted himself into his Mech Rider armor again. Blinded by his tears, he confronted the Mana Heroes in a pitched battle he knew he couldn't win. All he could think of was revenge, revenge for a death that was too early. Geshtar saw the memory with a feeling of sadness growing inside of him. Of course, it was Thanatos who had killed Vandole after he had opposed him... Raziel had died "on duty": in reality, Thanatos had charred him. Mayor Langsley was thrown in a dungeon so deep and damp that he'd die within the day. And surely, he'd find a way to get to Algea too... But Geshtar, knowing he'd die anyway, cared little for his nearing fate. He just fought like a lion until the Mana Hero smashed the motor in his hover-cycle. It exploded, hurling him away into the open air. His last image was the Fortress, half-raised and shuddering as it continued to lift itself out of the ocean...  
  
He opened his eyes again and looked at Dryad. Her face was a calm reflection of her thoughts about him: so you did evil things, but you remain human to me. He could nearly hear her thinking it.  
- "Hey, how did you like the memories?" She reached out to him, but he declined.  
- "I wish to sleep in a sleep of memory. I wish to remember everything from the moment I left the Water Palace to the moment I went to the Water Palace. Can you do that?" He saw her flinch, and blinked at her meaningfully. "I want to see whatever you try to steer away from. However it'll upset me. Please, I wish to undo the wrongs that I have done."  
- "Okay..." She sighed as she enveloped Geshtar in a whirlwind of Sleep Flower petals. He dozed off...  
His sleep filled with dreams immediately... He saw himself, sitting in a pub in Pandora, drinking away his sorrow.  
- "Luka, poor Luka! I've left her for such a minor thing. But I feel like this is my destiny. THIS, not sitting around in the Water Palace doin' nothing. I wanna fight, goddammit! The demons are again roaming the lands freely again." He took his glass and drank it in one single gulp. After paying the bartender, he went outside, where he was awaited by a man wh had seen and heard him.  
- "Hey, guy. Want to fight, huh? Well, maybe you'll like my offer, then... I'll pay you ten thousand GP when you..." the man whispered lowly into his ear. "... when you make sir Pollther have an "accident", get what I mean?" Geshtar saw his own disgusted reaction at first, but then his horror disappeared for an impish grin.  
- "I get it. Tomorrow he'll have had the "accident". You just have those ten thousand coins ready!"  
Geshtar dreamt, with rising disgust, of the "accidents" he had accomplished: sir Pollther was the first of many... Every single time, he was successful, got a great amount of money which he spent on drinking and gambling almost immediately. Women were attracted by him like moths by a flame. They all fell for him and made him their lover. But just like the moths, they all burned their hands and learned no lessons whatsoever. Until, one day... Until he met Fanha and Thanatos.  
She was sitting all alone in Geshtar's favorite pub, the "Demonic Girl Inn". He stepped to her and asked flirtingly:  
- "Heeey! What's a pretty girl doin' here with no one to guide her?" He grinned as she shrugged.  
- "Thanks for the interest, sir, but I can mend my own business. I'm pretty, but not weak."  
- "You sure? If you want protection, I'll be right here." He smirked when Thanatos entered, his expressionless face and the cold eyes made everybody shiver.  
- "Fanha, come on. We should get going, if we want to reach the border of your mother's territory before she finds out who took you... If she pursues us, the only thing she'll find is your dead body!" His voice was as emotionless as his face, and as dead as his eyes. Geshtar bowed over to the girl:  
- "Nice father you've got there, Fanha..."  
- "He's not my father. And you wouldn't want to get into a fight with him. He doesn't have any mercy."  
- "Hah! What does a mercenary like me fear?! Death? Anger? I don't even fear a demon like him: I've killed hundreds and thousands of his kind..." He paused as Thanatos looked at him angrily "... and all of them with just my sword. I'm a skilled man in this." Thanatos' interests were getting more and more dense.  
- "Young man, how would you like to join us? We are heading to the Empire. You will get the fame you want there, and be paid a solid amount of money..." He lowered his voice in an evil whisper: "There, I can guarantee you constant pleasure: all the liquor, gambling, danger and women you want..."- "Allright then, I'll come with you." He took the pen in his hands, shrugged as it scratched over his hand and the tip was covered in blood. The dark red color blended in with the ink, he saw as he signed the contract Thanatos had offered him.  
The dream went onwards, and he saw himself sitting in the Imperial Castle, at the meeting table, together with Thanatos, Fanha and Emperor Vandole.  
- "So, you say you can help me gain total world domination? How?" The Emperor's low and hypnotising voice boomed throughout the audience hall, causing the guards near the doors to shiver.  
- "Yes, I can give you my aid. I and my assistent Fanha here are high mages. I once served Shade until I was cast out of his Palace. This young man here has battle skills no one could ever match, plus he is a master mechanic: he knows everything there is to know of the ancient technology. Well, will you take our help - for a price of course..."  
- "Wait just a minute! I want proof of your skills. Guards! Fetch me the very best soldiers! This man will battle them outside. What is your name, mercenary?" The Emperor spoke directly to him. Geshtar was, although he had never been spoken to by an emperor, very upset.  
- "I prefer to be called SIR Geshtar... my Emperor." The latter, he spoke in a sarcastic tone.  
- "Very well, Sir Geshtar, go out there and fight!"  
And he did fight: he won easily against one, two, three, even ten soldiers at a time. He showed his sword, gleaming in the evening light, to the Emperor.  
- "You have proven yourself. Now you, Thanatos. But first, remove that mask of yours!" Thanatos followed the order, took off his mask and showed his empty eyes and pale face. "Y-you are a.. a LICH!!", Emperor Vandole gasped.  
- "You see, my powers are so great, they can even overcome death. Do I have to prove anything else?"  
- "N-no... You have proven enough, lich. Now you, girly. Show us your worth... I know, summon an Upper Class Demon!" Fanha shuddered as she listened to the order. She looked at Geshtar, who blinked and nodded slightly.  
- "Very well... but I will need to make preparations."  
Geshtar helped her prepare the meeting hall: incense, magical signs on the floor, a protective circle around Fanha, and his ensuring presence right behind her. Fanha started the incantation, and suddenly the air grew cold and damp. A form materialised: an Aegragropollion, the most feared of the Upper Class Demons... Fanha asked it to name itself.  
- "I am Sheex, an Aegragropollion, a shape-shifting demon. I can assume any shape you want me to assume... What is your name, my master?" His growling voice sent multiple shivers down Geshtar's spine.  
- "I am Fanha Caina, I have total control over you. Can you become human, Sheex?"  
- "Yes, Fanha my mistress..." He shifted into a beautiful young man with a kind of deep purple hair. "Is this form at your conveniance?" She blushed.  
- "Yes, it is, Sheex. Have I proven myself, Emperor?"  
- "You have, indeed. You and your party are hired, lich! I can always use good fighters like your Geshtar, and good mages like Fanha." He shrugged, grinning evilly towards Thanatos. "You are a nice side-effect... lich!"  
Thanatos shrugged as well.  
- "Very well, you have it your way, Emperor Vandole. But do remember that I have these powers... and you don't."  
The dream then went onwards. He saw himself helping the Empire invading the Gold Isle and taking it over; the many kills he had done for Emperor Vandole, the way he took the money for doing that: it all made him feel deeply disgusted by his former self. Then, an interesting part came.  
- "Sir Geshtar? Are you still awake?" A soft woman voice from behind the door. Geshtar had, once again, drunk too much after seeing Fanha with Sheex again. He couldn't bear her friendship with a demon... and thus sought comfort in liquor.  
- "G-g-go away, whoever it isssh... I'm not in the m-mood fer visiters!"  
- "But Geshtar, I've merely come to talk to you! It's me, Algea!" the latter made him amazed: the Empress knocking on his door?!  
- "Oh..." He opened the door for her and could easily see she had been drinking and crying too. "What'sh wrong, dear Empress of mine?"  
- "Geesh, call me Algea! I've come to say goodnight and to ask you if you'd do me a faver... My husband's gone again, to who knows what stupid country to play his childish game of conquer-or-destroy... I need comforting." She approached him: Geshtar could easily see her underwear through the thin fabric of her nightgown. He himself was also wearing very little. Her soft, slender body gently pressed against his when she hugged him.  
- "Algea..." His thoat was dry, his vision was clear all of a sudden. Desire for that beautiful woman hit him. "D'you know..."  
- "I know. C'mon, don't hesitate! Do it while we can still blame it on the alcohol."  
With that sentence, his dreams faded...  
  
- "Geshtar... Geshtar, wake up! It's morning!" Dryad's soft voice awoke him from his deep and calm sleep. He raised himself slowly, looking through one of the windows of the Palace, and suddenly realised that he knew the Seed Chamber as the room where he had found Vandole's dead body... His eyes immediately went towards the stairs of the pedestal - the blood stains were still there. He shuddered, making Dryad sense his emotions and answer his unspoken question : "Yes, this is indeed the place where Emperor Vandole met his doom. I can not try to remove the stains: my Mana energy makes them grow into the Palace instinctively... But really, you shouldn't wait any longer now. It is a long journey to the Water Palace: why waste more time here?"  
- "You're probably right, Dryad. I should get going now." He hugged Dryad, who was surprised, and kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Dryad! I needed to remember those things... Now I can go back and..."  
- "Geshtar, declare to the world that you are not evil. Do not be afraid for the consequences, just do it! There have already been too many misunderstandings... Clear them all and your name with them!" Her cheeks turned a kind of glowy light brown when she added: "Luka's... lucky to have a lover like you..." She saw a blush on Geshtar's cheeks and wiped it away with a single swipe. "Don't be ashamed: I did see what has happened between you and Luka, but just... no details,okay? Now go, sir Geshtar, and never forget what I just taught you: in human life, there may never be guilt or shame about good things. Believe me, I know..."  
- "Hey, what do you mean by that? Tell me what you mean..." He stood in front of the Elemental, his eyes questioning.  
- "Allright then. When the Beasts struck this Earth, the Elementals had to be created. Solar was only a half-god and could not create us out of nothing. She... She used people's bodies, altered them and gave them power. I was once a little girl, and made into this. Most of my memories were wiped away, but the memory of my metamorphosys is still clear. I wore a brown dress, flowing around my feet like Solar's always does. My hair was a kind of deep golden brown, and it reached all the way to my waist. I remember feeling weird, a feeling that started at my head. My hair turned a dark shade of green, and stuck in strings to each other. When I heard the call of the Beasts, from a great distance, I went outside. My hair was by then already changed into these palm leaves. My dress stuck to my body, growing into my skin and turning into a tree trunk at the bottom, from my waist down. A small green plant grew immediately over my back to my arms. Then... I do not remember anything about what happened after that. But what I do know is that I suddenly stood face to face with the Nature Beast. He said nothing, heaved his head to cry his song of Nature's Mana... And I recognised the song, went to him and sat onto his back. The Mana immediately seeped into my body. I saw a boy burst into flames, a girl crying herself all wet... I saw Shade being born out of a dark-haired man, and Lumina out of a pale girl in pyama's. I saw Sylphid and Luna and Gnome arising from what appeared to be only a deep slumber. But it wasn't pleasant to be this little girl forever... It renders me shy, unconfident, ignorant and naive..." She sighed, allowing Geshtar to think about that.  
- "...But it also makes you fresh, energetic, and innocent: you are the Elemental of Elementals. Without you, the earth would be empty and rough. You are the queen of all living things... the beauty among all nature's creations. You, Dryad, would be the perfect ruler over all this planet. But you have a more important and heavy task. Indeed, a task not suited for a child... but your mature spirit and your Elemental nature make you greater than even the most mighty of men."  
- "Thank you Geshtar..." This time, she was really speechless: his flattery had now made her whole tree-like body a deep shade of burgundy. "Wow... Thank you, so much!" She pointed outwards. "Go now, I bet you Luka misses you very much... and you miss her too, I can sense it! Go then, Sir Geshtar - hurry now!" She accompanied him back down the stairs and outside. "I'll come with you, to visit her. Wait while I seal the Palace. Green Turn Bright, Green Vanquish Intruders!"  
The "wall" around the Palace became visible, illuminating the whole surroundings when its greenish glow turned bright and then dissipated back into thin air. "An enhanced version of my Wall power. Come, call Flammie. We'll be there very soon." She smiled, but stopped to when she saw Flammie, who flew towards them in a slumpy way.  
- "Gesssssssssssshtar, will Drrrrrrrrrrrrrryad come withhhhhhhhh us?" Her voice sounded really tired, so Geshtar neared her and immediately rubbed her back.  
- "Yes, she would love to come too... if you can carry her, that is."  
- "Sssssssssssssssure, I'll carrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry herrrrrrrrrr..." The Elemental was aided to climb onto the sturdy dragon's back by Geshtar, gallant as he was. The dragon sighed heavy when she heaved herself into the air, her wings beating in an ancient melody that soothed Dryad's tensed mind.  
And not far from there, two spirits accompanied by a girl dressed in a pink combat suit went towards the Water Palace, their feet moving to the melody, which now resounded clear and calming. Sprite sang the words to the song:  
- "Mana, Mana Hara Nekha. Mana, Naya Lethe Daara. Mana, Mana, Drago Nalaa. Mana, Mana Hara Nekha...", and his voice blended in with the melody while Fanha's spirit shrieked once and a while in deep agony. The Water Palace was already in sight... 


	6. Future, Life's Blossom 2

"Where IS he? He should be back by now!" Luka sat in front of the Seed Pedestal, polishing her ever shining spear. The tip was a little worn after the Mana Heroes had used it. Her skillful hands brushed the warm wooden shaft of the fearsome weapon - the dreaded and most wanted Daedalus Lance - when all of a sudden... Undine came rushing into the Palace.  
- "Luka, what's going on? I feel a little sleepy..." Her deep blue eyes were half shut and darkened with tiredness.  
- "Well, what's to worry.."  
- "Luka, Elementals NEVER sleep! I never got this feeling before... It's as though I can fall asleep any moment, but am throbbing with power at the same moment... It's weird. It feels so soft inside of me, that drowsy feeling... Is it what it feels like to be sleepy as a human, too?" She gazed deeply into Luka's green eyes.- "Yes, it feels like that as a human, too. But how... How come? If Elementals don't sleep... What can be causing this feeling?!" She heard a melody, softly reaching inside the Palace, along with a song. Undine heard and translated it for Luka: her voice sounded like a soft spring bubbling in a silent night.  
- "Mana, Mana lets me live. Mana, make the evil die. Mana, Mana, sacred dragon. Mana, Mana lets me live..." She even danced a little: her spear described circles in the air as she twirled it carefully. Her eyes gleamed with a kind of power that lived in her heart. Luka wondered if that was the true Mana Essence: the spirit of the Elementals, raised only in times of peace and prosperity. Her thoughts were abruptly broken off when a knock on the heavy Palace doors caused Undine to shriek.  
- "Who is it?" Luka took her spear and positioned herself, ready for battle. She knew a few tricks from Geshtar: he had taught her well.  
- "It's me, Luka... Hopper. I thought I'd come by and pay you a visit. The Mana Sword is resonating, it started to a while ago. I don't know what to do: I'm just a kid! Everybody expects me to do something about it, but how can I do something when I don't even know what's happening?!" Before her stood Hopper, his clothes slightly singed from using Cannon Travel. His hair still held together by the same bandana, she easily could recognise him anywhere... except his expression was so serious today: and that wasn't exactly like him.  
- "I don't know what it is, but Undine has been complaining too. What do you know of the strange behaviour of the sword?" She stepped towards him, inviting him to sit down on the stairs of the Seed pedestal.  
- "It resonates in a strange rhythm. And it glows, as if Dryad casted...Mana magic?!" Hopper was very shocked by what he just had thought of. The Mana Beast... not too long ago it had made the sword resonate and sparkle in an unearthly light. Dryad had explained afterwards: the sword had opened itself up to her magic, to slay the beast... She had also told him the sword would instinctively destroy the Beast.  
... But Hopper, still a little weary of his newfound knowledge, suddenly remembered what he had said when they first saw the Mana Beast...  
- "So beautiful..." A tear ran down his cheek when he saw the beast.  
- "What are you waiting for? Go up there and slay that beast!" Stine's bold but true words resounded in the hollow passageways of his mind.  
- "I... I can't! It looks just like Flammie! Are Flammies not Mana Beasts?"  
Flammie... the next Mana Beast? A threat to the world?  
... Or a herald to a new future?  
He had no idea whatsoever what the future still had in mind for all those people involved in the battle against extinction. But he'd not die running, that was for sure! The battle with the Mana Beast and the Empire had given him one thing: courage. He had survived thanks to his weapon skills and not by use of magic, like Nasha and Stine had done.  
Suddenly, the company heard a sound outside: again, someone entered the Palace.  
- "Nasha! Stine... and who's that? Isn't that...?!" The last thing Hopper expected was to see his two friends there again. The second floating spirit revealed herself to Hopper.  
- "I am Fanha Caina, dear Mana Hero... daughter of Elinee... and once in service of the Empire. I was Geshtar's best friend, and had to put him under spells on Thanatos' orders..." She paused, for Hopper had drawn his sword. The Mana Sword didn't resonate when he pointed it menacingly at her. He scratched his head in amazement. "Yes, I am no longer under Thanatos' influence. When you last saw me, he had me caught in his dark aura. But enough of me! Do you know why we are here?"  
- "No, I have no idea... Please, te-"  
He stopped in middle of his sentence...  
... for in the doorway stood Geshtar, his disguise lowered and his armor shining brightly in the holy fire. Dryad, her tree-like appearance as calm and childish as always, floated besides him: her aura became visible shortly when the two Elementals greeted each other. The Mana Sword didn't resonate when they neared the group, nor did it when he touched it, lowering it.  
- "Geshtar! You're back!" Luka flung herself in his arms in front of the whole group. Hopper raised his eyebrows, not knowing what had happened.  
- "I owe you all an explanation, I think." Geshtar begun, but was stopped from speaking by the sound of metal over metal. Behind him stood Seyma, together with Salamando.  
- "Geshtar! I have warned you once before not to harm anyone!" Her harsh tone caused Salamando to reprimand her:  
- "Seyma, I will have none of that behaviour anymore! Either remain quiet or have me put you through another Elemental Purification to calm your fiery temper!!" He smiled when she turned white as snow, and then continued in a friendly tone: "I have come to tell you of a serious disorder. My Mana Readings indicate a strange fluctuation, preventing the planet's Mana resources to refill completely. I have no idea if you've noticed too... Dryad and Undine, you too must feel drowsy? Hopper, isn't the Mana Sword resonating? Stine, Fanha, you too must yearn for the end of your existence as spirits on earth?" He paused for a moment, letting his words take effect. "Well, all this indicates the rise of a new problem, namely... a new Mana Beast."  
- "WHAT? So soon?!" They all were baffled by Salamando's guess. All... except Geshtar.  
- "Dryad, describe to me the Mana Beast!" His voice sounded throughout the palace and resounded time after time in their ears.  
- "Well, it's big and pinkish, with green wings and burgundy eyes. It hasn't got the ability to speak..." She stopped: Geshtar was already back outside. They all followed him - to be both shocked and surprised by what they saw.  
It was Flammie, her beautiful feathers all pink and her eyes deep burgundy. Her roar resounded when she saw the Mana Sword in Hopper's hand. The Elementals were all hypnotised by it's looks, and they floated in mid-air - paralysed by it. Her roars resounded over the world... but she was silent when she noticed Geshtar, tears running down his cheeks.  
- "F-flammie... You... you're changing into a m-monster..." He couldn't speak anymore, neither could she: but in his head, her voice resounded as clear as he used to hear it.  
- "Geshtar... I'm changing! Save me! SAVE ME!!" Her voice was flawless, to his surprise, and her tones sounded even more humain than they used to. He ran towards her, paying no attention at all to her sharp claws. His mantle was torn by them, and over his cheek ran a long wound. He hugged her, screaming to the dark blue sky:  
- "I don't believe it... Don't die on me, girl! Don't! I'm here... I'll be right here... Solar!", he yelled as he adressed the mightiest of Elementals, the only one who could possibly help him, "I ask you: is there nothing you can do?!"  
In a ray of bright light, the Ninth Elemental descended from the heavens, her face showed a single emotion: fear. She was actually moved.  
- "Geshtar, the only thing I can do is lend you a part of my powers. You must understand that you can only save one person... and that you can die while trying..."  
- "AAAAGH!!!" Both Flammie and Fanha cried out in pain. Geshtar realised he had a choice to make, and a hard one for that matter: his long-time best friend or his new best friend...  
- "I am deeply sorried, Fanha. She's still young, and hasn't lived a full life yet...", he whispered as he put his hands, glowing with Solar's supernatural powers, on Flammie's head.  
  
- "Geshtar!" Flammie's spirit was beautiful: she looked a lot like Solar, but she was more colorful and had a less radiant aura. Nevertheless, she moved towards him automatically, breaking her bonds. "You've freed me of my binding to Mana? Why?!"  
- "You're my friend, that's why. I never let a friend down!" He gazed downward. "Fanha was less fortunate - I could only save one person..." A spirit tear ran down his cheek, and Flammie wiped it away. Her slender fingers were soft and warm, amazingly warm.  
- "Geshtar, don't cry. You've done the right thing." Geshtar turned around, seeing Fanha's spirit floating in front of them. "You knew, didn't you? My place is now in Heaven, because I did my noble deed. You gave me a greater gift than a new life. You gave me eternal happiness! What more can I give to you than this?" She touched his armor, and her hand slipped right through, until it reached his heart. He touched her heart too, smiling. A warmth spread through them as they became one being for a short while. When they splitted up again, Fanha left a small part of her spirit in his heart and vice versa.  
- "Geshtar, we should go on now. My place among the angels awaits me, and Luka's probably worried sick about you down there! Good-bye for now. I'll keep you a place right next to me... dear Geshtar." With those words, two beautiful wings sprouted from her back and she flew up into infinity.   
- "Geshtar, we should get going, too. We do have a life to live, haven't we?" Flammie reached out for his hands as they went back to their bodies... and their friends, who would probably be waiting.  
  
Luka stood there, numbed by a superior power. Geshtar hadn't hesitated to risk his own life to save Flammie... she sighed in relief as both opened their eyes and stood up. Geshtar staggered towards her.  
- "Oh, Geshtar!" She kissed him, provoking surprise and disbelief for the others. "Are you allright?"  
- "Just... a little tired, that's all... I'll be fine, I just need some rest." Luka accompanied him inside, leaving the rest with their amazement. Hopper was the first one to speak again. He sheathed his sword again as he saw Flammie stretch.  
- "It can't be... Luka and... him?!" He shook his head, as if it was all a dream he wanted to wake up from. Flammie sighed.  
- "Hopper, have yoooooou learned nothing at all? They love each other! Theeeeeeeey would risk everything to be together... And he isn't eeeeeevil anymore. Doesn't the faaaaact that he risked his life for mine prove that?" She smiled when he silently nodded. "He's not such a baaaaaaad guy. Drinking made him weeeeeeeak... and Luka made him strooooooong again! They already were in love for a loooooooong time... and now they're back togeeeeeeether! Be happy for them, Hopper, dear friiiiiiiiend. They'll finally be one hundred percent perfectly happy!" With those words, she left him, flying north towards the Upper Land Forest. In the meantime the Elementals weren't influenced by the Beast power anymore: they were happily playing in the afternoon sun. Salamando turned the water beneath him into steam, and Undine refilled the empty spots again. Nasha was also enjoying the calmth after all the trouble. She relaxed in the afternoon sun. Hopper neared her, laid himself down next to her and put his hands under his head.  
- "You knew it all along, didn't you?"  
- "What? That he wasn't evil or that he was in love with Luka?"  
- "Mmmm...", Hopper pondered on. Eventually, he said: "Both."  
- "Yes, I knew. I sensed it. I felt it. I read his mind when we met at my house. I asked Stine what to do, and you know what he answered me? "Give the man a second chance", he said. And you know, Hopper... I already gave him that before Stine told me to do so. Now you have to do the same..." She sighed as she sat up to look at the boy besides her. He had not only gained courage and strength in their battle against evil and the Mana Beast: his looks had changed from a big kid into those of a young man. His brown hair fell over his bandana, his greenish eyes sparkled with a life force no one could imagine. His hands, roughened by the use of the weapons, carelessly played with a small pebble he had picked up from the ground. He appeared to be thinking about her words. "Hey, I wouldn't say those things if I didn't know he is a nice man, worthy of Luka's love. Come on, get up and tell him that you will give him a chance to prove his true good nature to you... No, not right now!", she said when he sat up too, ready to walk into the palace.  
- "Why not?... Oh...", he blushed as he realised why he shouldn't. "I... guess I'll... wait. I won't ruin their moment together. That would be wrong..."  
- "You're right. Come back here and lie down! I'll keep an eye on you, Hopper." She sighed as she saw Dryad chase Undine, while Undine chased Salamando and Salamando pursued Dryad. "Hey you guys, keep it quiet, will you?! Just take a rest together with us. You're so... energetic!" She shook her head.  
- "That's because Mana is fully restored, Nasha. They can't help it either..." She turned around: that familiar voice had cleared her mind. Behind her stood Stine, fully colored and clearly visible. "I benefit from that, too... I have my physical life back!" Hopper raised himself again, running to the small sprite child.  
- "Y-you're back to... I thought you'd never be... Welcome back!", he finally managed to whisper while he hugged his long-time friend and ally-in-battle. Nasha, too, came to him and tapped him on the head.  
- "Nice to have you back, Stine. I knew it all along, you weren't going to keep away from us forever... I'm happy you're back."  
- "Hey, I've told you guys before: I WASN'T going to kick the bucket! I was just out of shape..."  
- "You can sure say that, Stine!" Hopper's grin showed he understood the word game. He gestured towards a small cloud, in which they both recognised a roughly shaped face. A well-known female face... Fanha's. "Hey, isn't that...?" He halted in mid-sentence, for a glimpse of metal shimmer caught his eye.  
Seyma scraped her dagger over the stairs to the Water Palace. The Mana Heroes were always brave and courageous: they seemed to accept the fact that Geshtar was no longer evil a whole lot easier than she did. Maybe... All her thoughts had started with that word since she knew who the stranger was.  
- "You're the girl that saved Geshtar from a certain death, aren't you? I want to hear what happened since he left. I would like to know how you liked him so much at first, and then hated his guts. I would love to know..." Hopper's firm hand, strengthened by the long use of the Mana Sword, on her shoulder made her awaken as if from a dream. She turned around and blushed when his deep greenish eyes peered directly into her brown ones.  
- "My father took me to Salamando the very day he left. I had talked about Geshtar many, many times: he had been disgusted by it. Ironic, isn't it? That a man can be disgusted by deeds, committed by his own hands. He hated the words he had once spoken himself, he despised people he once had friendships or even relations with... Anyway, when my father returned with me and one of his friends that evening, he..." She paused to wipe away some tears from her eyes. "He... fell. Into one of Salamando's lava pits. His last words were: "Help save Geshtar, my little flame..." Salamando came to the rescue... it was already too late. I volunteered to take his place in serving Salamando. My Elemental Purification was barely completed when I came across Geshtar again. I nearly killed him: if Salamando hadn't stopped me, he'd be lying in a graveyard now." She looked up to the sky, a stray tear running down her cheek.  
- "Seyma, girl, one of the most valuable lessons I have learned while wielding the Mana Sword is forgiveness. I came across many people who did evil, unaware of the consequences. I have learned to forgive those people because I know they did not fully realise what they did and how that affected the entire world. And another valuable lesson I've learnt is how to lose... and how to cope with a loss. I've seen Nasha and Stine die a few times. There was no time for mourning, and there was no place for sadness. Especially amidst enemies. But, and believe me when I say it, the worst thing in life is to lose a beloved one. Nasha lost her fiancé, Dyluck; Stine lost all of his friends and relatives, and eventually he died for the good cause. And me... I've lost innocense, my childhood, my carelessness, dozens of friends, hordes of innocent lives, and the list goes on and on and on. But the most valuable lesson of all lessons there are to learn, Seyma, is how to live. There is a way of life, suited for every person. There are millions of paths to walk... but only one path especially made for your feet. Geshtar has now found his path. It's about time you look around to see where you should set down your feet. Take one gentle step at a time and everything will work out." Over their heads whirled a dark shape at tremendous speed: Flammie, doing aero-tricks. Seyma didn't say a thing, she only took the hand Hopper had put on her shoulder. She understood and didn't need any words to say she did. Hopper knew as well as she did: the way of Mana is the way of the truth, the way of the inner strength and wisdom and, most important, it was a way of looking forward instead of backwards into time. It was the way that brought most benefit for humanity, and the ones that had opened their hearts to Mana knew how to listen to the voices that told the way, only the truly just and strong and wise knew how to walk that road. It was like a heavy burden fell off their shoulders. They both felt freed of all worries. There they stood, looking at the sky and saying nothing.  
  
- "People, could you come here? I want to tell my story to all of you, so my name may be cleared of all blame." Geshtar held Luka's hand as the company gathered on the stairs to the Palace. "I, as all of you probably know by now, am Geshtar Tirsh. I was born in a family of middle-class salesmen. My mother was a herbs expert and my father a merchant in exotic healing items. He imported the first Cup of Wishes from the Gold Isle, then still known as the Light Island. My two sisters died before I came here to serve Luka at the age of ten. I served Undine for more than a hundred years, in which I was gifted with a very very long life: I physically aged about five years, mentally my evolution went at equal speed. That means my body didn't grow up as fast as I was supposed to, but my mind did. Anyway, fourteen or fifteen years ago, I left from here because of a little accident. Undine, feeling threatened when I had drunk too much, froze my hands and thus made me decide to leave. I went to Pandoria, lived there for a year or so, making money by hiring my sword to the highest bid. A mercenary, if you will. But then, I met Fanha and Thanatos, who were about to hire their services to the Empire. Thanatos offered me a good amount of money if I were to join them. Money... and pleasure... I couldn't refuse, drinking had made me weak and I signed the contract. I faintly noticed a small wound on my hand, bleeding like crazy. The blood and the ink mixed perfectly. My fate was sealed: I had - unwillingly - signed a contract with the underworld and was bound to serve Thanatos. And another thing it granted Thanatos was access to my mind. He put several spells over me and made sure I appeared to be evil whenever I was outside the Imperial castle. But inside, I remained the same man I used to be. I also aged, because my Elemental benefit couldn't penetrate the thick layer of evil spells layed around my soul. Inside, I still yearned for Luka and Undine. That's why I did not kill Luka. I even made sure the Jabberwocky couldn't reach her in the Water Palace... my subconsciousness ordered me to grant her safety.  
When I was serving the Empire, Fanha remained a close friend, who was always ready to comfort me. Thanatos had repeatedly forced her to lay spells on me, and she had no choice but to obey. She always apologised a thousandfold afterwards, crying her eyes out. I still don't know if it was Thanatos' doing or not, but I loved her. She explained it later on as "being a single soul, split up, never to be combined again: touching but never unifying". She was a great friend to me and she meant more to me than I dared admit to Thanatos.  
When we had to do our "last job", Fanha disappeared. Shortly after the Mana Fortress had surfaced, I found her note. In it, she said she accompanied Thanatos to the Fortress, and begged of me not to follow her... because she'd find a certain death there. I, blinded by hatred and love for Fanha, rushed to the rising Fortress and arrived there just after you Mana Heroes had defeated her Hexas form. I saw my best friend dying in front of me. The only thing I can remember of my blind rage afterwards, was that I thought myself happy to be defeated before Thanatos had the chance to finish me off. When you hit the engine of my hover cycle, it exploded... but I did not die. Instead, the force of the explosion hurled me off the Fortress. Right in time, because the last thing I saw before losing consciousness was the rising of the Fortress.  
You Mana Heroes, I have to thank you. Hopper, Nasha, Stine: I hope you can find it in your heart to look beyond what the Empire forced me to be... right into what I want to be. I saved Flammie because I didn't want her to die like Fanha did. I had already seen a close friend die right in front of my eyes: I risked my life to save her. True, I didn't feel any better than before. But it feels kinda good to know that Fanha hasn't really left me... she's right here." He silently touched his chest, where his heart was beating and sending warmth through his entire body, before he continued: "Flammie is a beautiful girl: her soul looks kinda like Solar. It looks that way because the soul she has, resembles greatly the Elemental she has to obey. Once, there were nine Beasts: one for each Elemental... and one for Solar. Flammie is a Mana Beast - or at least, she WAS one of those - and thus her soul resembles Solar, so she would never forget who she was bound to serve." Luka rubbed her hands over his. Before she even knew what came over her, Seyma asked:  
- "Geshtar... What's with you and Luka?" She blushed, for it was surely obvious she cared for the tall, handsome man that now held Luka's frail hands with a loving look in his eyes.  
- "Heh... When I first came here, Luka was very severe. I didn't like her that much. She was impatient, noticed all those tiny mistakes I made... But as time went by, and I knew more and more about Mana, she became more and more friendly. She had become a very good friend of mine. More and more, we both grew up bodily. Whe I arrived her, she still looked like a fifteen year old, you know. Now, I'd say, twenty-two or twenty-three. Anyway, we grew up side by side... and one day, when I entered my "bedroom", only separated from Luka's quarters by a curtain, I noticed her standing there. The light made her look kinda eerie. But inside of me, a new feeling rose: Luka was, besides a great friend and a heck of a teacher, also an attractive young woman. For me, a boy that was mentally further than the others of his physical age, love was a well known thing.  
Luka was hurt when I decided to leave that one unfaithful day. Had I known... I wouldn't have left. But anyway, when Seyma found me and I got flashbacks of a past here in the Water Palace, I came here. When I first saw Luka again, that love burned again. I was touched by her beauty once again. And after a little while, we confessed our love to one another. I'm glad we did, because it is surely a good love when it lasted and slumbered for all those years."  
Luka now stepped forward, adressing the Mana Heroes, Seyma, the Elementals and Flammie, who had just returned from her nap in the Upper Land Forest.  
- "Hopper, Nasha, Stine: I suggest you all go to Pandoria and organise a party. After all, you're all back together. You really should celebrate, you know... Oh, and invite us, okay?  
Dryad, Geshtar will escort you home again. Thank you for coming! I hope you'll be alright. It has been a hard day for everyone and I can understand you want to go home.  
Seyma and Salamando, you should be going back, too. The Fire Palace lies unguarded and all its treasures are an easy target for thieves. Seyma, I know you'll make a good Elemental Servant. Here, take these. For your father's grave. He would have liked it when I came, but I really can't..."  
- "Maaay I interrupt for a moment? Stine, you have to come with meee to the Sprrrrrrite Village. Come oooon, Geshtar, Dryad, sprite chiiiiiiiiild, hop onto my back! Uuuup we go!" In a second, everyone was on Flammie's back, including Luka, Hopper and Nasha. Seyma and Salamando remained on solid ground. Salamando's burning sound reassured Seyma. So Geshtar loved Luka now... that wasn't so bad. She was happy for him! Nevertheless, she wiped away a quick tear as she turned around and followed her Elemental.  
  
- "Stine! Stine! You're back!" A happy sprite child came running to the group.  
- "Leena! Li'l girl! You're... back?! ALL sprites are back?!!" Stine wiped a few quick tears of happiness away from his cheeks. Leena, dressed in a green dress and wearing an ivy tiara, hugged him.  
- "So... we're all back now... When will it take place?"  
- "Wait a sec, okay? These are Hopper and Nasha, with whom I saved the world. This is Dryad, Elemental of Nature, and those two are Geshtar and Luka..." he paused briefly, "... two Servants of Undine. Group, this is Leena, my most gracious fiancée! We were to get married, but then that flood washed me away... And when I returned, Spring Beak had ravaged the village. I thought I'd never see you again... I'm so happy that's not true!" The group decided to leave Stine in the Upper Land Forest with his people. They flew to the Tree Palace, where Dryad took up her task as caretaker of the world balance once again. Then, Flammie returned all of them to the Water Palace  
  
- "Geshtar, what were you whispering in Flammie's ear?"  
Tha Mana Heroes had left for Pandoria, to tell everyone the good news and to arrange it so Geshtar's chart was adapted. The world was peaceful once again.  
- "Oh, if you would follow me..." Geshtar smiled mysteriously as he guided her outside, where Flammie was already waiting.  
- "Oh, Geshtar, where are you taking me?" Luka asked, a little confused.  
- "Patience, my dear, patience..." Soon, they arrived above the Mana Tree, where Flammie put them down on its dense leaves and branches. Geshtar pointed upwards, and Luka slowly followed his gaze...  
... and was astounded by the sight. By sitting on the Mana Tree, they shared in its Mana power. The world below them was pulsating of Mana's steady energy flow. Above them flew tiny lights: fireflies. A soft melody flowed from the center of the Tree. Luka felt more happy than she had ever been.  
- "Geshtar... it's beautiful..."  
- "Luka, my dearest, I have thought of you a million times since we parted. There's no one in this entire world that can make me happier than you. You make my heart beat in the same rhythm as yours, you make my hands long for your soft skin under them... and now... Luka, I love you more than I could ever imagine myself loving anyone. Will you marry me, dear? Will you be my bride?"  
- "Oh, Geshtar... I will, I wouldn't want anything less!"  
They sat there for a long time, holding each other's hands, sharing the moment of their lives. And when the sun shed its light over the still sleeping world, their spirits were already illuminated. And as they went back home on Flammie's back, they knew their lives would be filled. Because they were happy. Because they were with each other.  
Because they had never even been really separated. 


End file.
